Howlin' For You
by littlerichellemead
Summary: Derek's affair with Kate could only end in disaster but the only one who could see the terrible outcome was Sky.What will it take for Derek to end the affair?Will it be too late by then?Rated T for language and mature content.PREQUEL to I Never Told You
1. Preface: Ashes

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf.**

**This idea of writing Sky and Derek's childhood formulated in my head as I wrote **Sweet Sacrifice**. I didn't get to incorporate it into the story, so I'm doing it separately. However, I will try to make it so that new readers can keep up with this story without having to read **I Never Told You **and or **Sweet Sacrifice **(if you want to read them though be my guest, I would appreciate it too.) Let's see if I can keep this interesting. I'll shut up now. **

_Preface: Ashes_

_ After the fire is thoroughly extinguished, Laura leaves in the ambulance with Uncle Peter to see him recover. Derek, on the other hand, stays behind; it's not that he does not care for his uncle, but Derek needs time to himself. He needs time to punish himself and gaze at the remains of his home, his childhood, his family, his Sky, his life. All of it, gone. Gone in the single blink of an eye. Swallowed by the flames of hate. _And it is my fault_, Derek thinks to himself as he walks through the burned remains of what used to be a grand home full of children and life. _

_ "She is Argent's daughter!" Derek remembers Sky's warnings. "She is using you."_

_ Derek kicks the charred floor causing the ashes to rise and dance in the breeze. Why did he not listen to Sky? How could he be so stupid to think Kate was any different? As he watches the ashes settle around him, Derek's knees give out once again. He kneels by the stairs, or what is left of them, and cries once again for all that he has lost. Correction: all that Laura and he have lost. There is nothing left of their lives, their cousins, and Sky. Their beloved Sky is gone and burned down with everything and everyone else. _

_ With his fingertips, Derek caresses the ashes wondering if they belong to Sky or someone else in his family. Bringing the ashes to his lips, Derek kisses them silently begging for forgiveness and saying goodbye to his beloved and his family. _

**First chapter will be up probably tomorrow. It depends on which story drags my attention since I have another Hunger Games coming up. Yeah, I hate me too. **


	2. Goodbye and Hello

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf.**

Title: Howlin' For You.

(Inspired by the song _Howlin' For You_ by The Black Keys)

Chapter 1: Goodbye and Hello

Skylar Emilia Bennett swings her small legs back and forth as she sits on the unmoving swing outside the hospital. A nurse, Heather, watches the four year old while the doctors see her mother. The young nurse shakes her head sadly as she gazes at the petite, black haired, blue eyed baby girl who will no doubt lose her mother soon. Heather just started working at Beacon Hills' hospital for a week, but she has read Emily Bennett's file and knows the cancer is too advanced. Holding back the tears that burn the nurse's brown eyes, she approaches Skylar.

"Sweetie," the nurse kneels in front of the girl. "Sky would you like to go get a popsicle?"

Sky looks up at the nurse and shakes her head firmly. "No thank you." She twists her small neck to look behind Heather at the hospital. "Mommy promised to buy me a cupcake when she gets better."

Heather swallows the knot in her throat knowing she is on the verge of bursting to tears. How can she break down the news to the little girl that her mom might not get better? It is not her place, Heather knows, to try to explain Sky about her mom and cancer. But Heather knows the girl's father is absent, and she has no other family.

"Uncle Peter!" The girl suddenly jumps from the swing and runs to a man behind Heather.

Standing up and straightening her uniform, Heather approaches a man in his twenties picking up Sky in his arms. Heather quickly registers that the man is rather handsome with black hair brushed back, deep brown eyes and a strong body build. She is then confused, for she thought the little girl had no other family than her mother.

"Heather Trey," the nurse introduces herself to Sky's uncle.

"Peter Hale," the man shakes the nurse's hand. In any other circumstance, Peter would flirt with the beautiful nurse, but Sky and Emily need him. Emily had contacted Peter a year ago asking for his help to keep Dante away from Sky. It was petty and selfish of Emily to keep Sky and Dante away from each other, but she was extremely hurt when Dante broke his promise to leave Melissa for them. Peter accepted to help Emily, for he would do anything for his dear friend.

"I'm sorry," Heather begins timidly. "But I thought Sky didn't have any family."

"She has family," Peter kisses Sky's forehead. "Just not blood related family. I'm friends with Emily. I should have been here sooner but business takes me out of town a lot."

Heather nods and begins to lead Peter and Sky inside. "Uncle Peter," Sky says hugging Peter's neck. "When is Mommy getting out?"

"I don't know sweetheart," Peter's heart breaks just watching the sadness and disappointment in her face. Not knowing what else to say, Peter only hugs Sky tighter as the three of them make their way to Emily's room.

The doctor and another nurse are leaving Emily's room when Peter arrives carrying Sky and Heather walking silently next to them. Setting Sky down, Peter approaches the doctor to ask about Emily's condition. He says the cancer was found too late, it is too advanced, there's nothing to be done, and he's sorry, blah, blah… Peter grabs Sky's hand and leads her inside.

"Mommy," Sky jumps into bed with her sickly, weak and pale mother. "Do you feel better now?"

"Hi baby," Emily whispers as she holds her daughter close. "No. I'm afraid Mommy is still sick. In fact, I'm too sick you'll have to stay with Uncle Peter for a while. A long while."

Peter looks out the window fighting back the tears of watching his dear friend die. The doctor also said Emily probably won't make it past the night. Poor Emily. Poor Sky. Baby girl doesn't really understand what's going on, and she won't until she's older.

"Why?" Sky whines at her mother's words. "I want to go home. With you Mommy."

"I know baby girl," Emily wishes things didn't have to be so unfair and terrible. Sky is too young to be without her mother. "I need to go away, but you will be fine with Peter."

Sky looks at Peter and nods. She trusts him. She loves him. He is more like a Daddy than an Uncle. Sky doesn't know her dad. Mommy has told her he is dead. What does it mean to be dead? Sky knows it means to be asleep for a long time, but he'll wake up right? Is that what is going to happen to Mommy?

"Are you going to sleep Mommy?" Sky asks out loud.

"Yes sweetie," tears roll down Emily's eyes and soak the pillow. "Come here." Emily crushes Sky to her chest and pats her head. "It's called dying."

"Don't tell her that," Peter sits on the chair next to Emily's bed. He is still fighting hard the urge to cry.

"She must know," Emily whispers. "Please Peter, take care of her. Don't let him get her. He doesn't deserve her."

"I know," Peter places his hand over Emily's on Sky's head. "I won't let him near her. I won't let anyone hurt her. I promise."

"Thank you," Emily smiles gratefully at her closest and beloved friend. Looking at Peter fight the pain and promise to care for Sky, Emily once again wonders why the hell she couldn't love Peter. They had dated for two years in college, but then Emily broke up with him. After a year of not talking to each other, Peter and Emily started a friendship stronger than their romantic relationship. Still, Emily knows Peter had loved her like no one else had. Not even Dante. Emily hurts just remembering that Dante had only used her to get what he wanted with his wife but couldn't get: a child. Then just a year ago, Melissa finally gave Dante a son, and Emily and Sky turned into nothing, or so Emily thought. "Do what needs to be done to keep him away from Sky." Emily whispers furiously knowing the supernatural power and strength Peter has.

"I will," Peter nods and is about to say more when there is a knock at the door.

A woman dressed in a navy skirt and coat enters the room. She smiles sadly at Peter and then at Emily still holding Sky in her arms. This is the hardest part of the woman's job knowing that the child will suffer a great deal for the death of a loved one and then be involved in an ugly and possibly long fight over who gets the custody. This case, as sad as it sounds, will be resolved once the mother dies, and the will is read granting custody to Peter Hale. Suit Woman clears her throat and steps all the way into the room.

"Emily," Suit Woman greets the dying woman and approaches the bed. "Hey Sky. We need to go honey."

Sky looks up from her mother's chest and grimaces. She likes Suit Woman, but she doesn't want to leave her Mommy. Not tonight. Not ever. All Sky wants is both of them home, so Mommy can make hot cocoa, read a bedtime story like _Horton Hears a Who_, and then tuck her into bed. Maybe, Sky thinks, if she stays with her mom, she can cure her! It makes sense because Mommy always cures Sky of her tummy aches and booboos. But Suit Woman would never let her stay. Suit Woman says hospitals are not or should not be for kids.

"Do I have to?" Sky asks her mother. "Can't we go home?"

"Sky," Peter interrupts. "Mommy can't go home any time soon. Remember she's going to sleep."

Sky nods and turns once again to her mom. Emily is closing her suddenly very heavy eyelids. The machine monitoring her heartbeat slows down significantly. Pain clutches Peter's heart and anxiety settles in the pit of Suit Woman's stomach. This is it. Sky can't be here to watch her mother die.

"Come on Sky," Suit Woman says with urgency and extends her hand out to her. "Let Mommy sleep." Suit Woman's voice cracks at the end with the coming tears.

"Sky," Emily grasps Sky's tiny hand with the last of her strength. "I love you baby. I love you so much and never forget that."

"I know," Sky's eyes begin to glisten with tears. She doesn't know why, but she feels really sad. "Mommy, I love you. Don't go to sleep please."

"Come on Sky," Suit Woman urges.

"Mommy," Sky touches Emily's cheek. "Don't go to sleep."

"Sky, you have to go," Peter tries to pry Sky off Emily. Neither of them are letting go. Emily is still holding Sky's hand, and Sky grasps the bed handle tightly with her free hand as Peter tugs her.

"Come on, let's go."

"Sky, it's ok. Let go."

"Don't go to sleep,"

"Goodbye baby,"

"Mommy!" Peter grabs Sky by the waist and finally pulls her away when Emily's body goes limp. Emily stares with her empty, blue eyes open at Sky and a sad yet loving smile on her lips. "Mommy!"

Sky screams and kicks as Peter hands her over to Suit Woman. The desperate and hysterical screams of Sky are heard throughout the hospital until both Suit Woman and her are out. Peter, unable to fight the tears and pain any longer, begins to cry as he calls for a doctor knowing it's useless. Emily is gone.

And soon enough, the doctor declares Emily Bennett dead at seven thirty two pm. Peter sits next to Emily's lifeless body and says goodbye to his friend promising her that no harm will come to Sky. He will do whatever it takes to protect Sky from Dante and anything or anyone that tries to hurt her.

…

The funeral is the next day. Peter doesn't know if it's unsettling or astute that Emily planned her funeral since the moment she found out she had cancer. Emily was, if nothing else, always thinking ahead. On some matters, it came handy that Emily always took matters into her own hands especially in the case of who would get custody of her daughter. Peter is also glad that Emily never registered Dante as the father of Sky. For some reason, which Peter could only guess at, Dante never made an attempt to recognize Sky as his. Now, it doesn't matter. Peter appreciates the blessings in these dark and depressing times.

Emily's will is read before the funeral, as she requested, so that Sky rides in the back of Peter's car to the funeral as his ward. Little Sky watches out the window holding the teddy bear that Emily gave her as a last birthday present last week. Looking back to the road, Peter tries to push away those sad thoughts. Yes, they are going to a funeral, but it does not do well to dwell on the sadness. One must always focus on something positive otherwise, you go insane. So Peter focuses on one positive thing: Dante can't go anywhere near Sky. She's safe.

…

The funeral finally ends to Peter's relief. Now, all he wants is to take Sky to her new home where he will make sure Sky is happy, loved, and safe. Throughout the funeral, Sky kept her right hand in Peter's and with her left, she held white roses. At Peter's signal, Sky dropped the roses down on a whole where Mommy would rest for a long, long time. Sky had asked Peter why Mommy had to rest in a whole, and Peter had no answer for her. Thankfully, Sky had dropped it. In fact, Sky had begun to be incredibly quiet.

"Peter," a man calls out making Peter stiffen. _What the hell is he doing here? _Peter wonders as he practically runs to his car picking Sky up in his arms. He gently pushes Sky inside and shuts the door turning to face the man.

"Dante." Peter says coldly trying to keep his anger and wolf under control. He can hardly start a fight in front of Sky and in a cemetery. "What do you want?"

"My daughter," Dante snorts as if it isn't obvious. "She needs me."

"No she does not!" Peter growls. "She and Emily needed you for the past year when they were dealing with cancer. Sky needed you yesterday when she watched her mother die not today or tomorrow. She has me."

"I am her father," Dante snaps. "I have the right to be there."

"No you don't," Peter laughs bitterly. "You have no right. You are no father. You left them when Melissa finally gave you what you wanted."

Dante looks at Peter in disbelief. Had Emily told him all that? How could she? "Emily pushed me away!" Dante hisses. "She prohibited me from seeing Sky. I wanted to be there, but Emily wouldn't let me. What was I supposed to do? Kidnap Sky? I want to be in her life."

Peter doesn't know what to think. Who is telling the truth? Did Emily really push Dante away? Even if she did, what did it matter? Emily had every right to be angry because Dante had only used her. No. The facts don't matter to Peter.

"Well," Peter says moving towards the driver's side. "It doesn't matter what you want because I am Sky's guardian. She's a Hale now, and I will uphold the promise I made to Emily."

"What?" Dante stands with his mouth open wide. Emily had done something very low. She had given Dante's daughter to Peter. "She is my daughter!"

"She is mine now," Peter says simply and gets in the car quickly locking the doors. To his relief, he finds Sky has fallen asleep. Hopefully she didn't hear anything at all. To Sky, her dad is dead, and Peter intends to keep it that way.

"Peter," Dante knocks on the window. "She is _my_ daughter. You can't take her away from me!"

"I already have," Peter says starting the car. "Say goodbye to Skylar Bennett and say hello to Skylar Hale." Peter grins and drives away leaving Dante staring after the car. He didn't even get a chance to see what his daughter looked like after a year of not seeing her. How could Emily do this? Sure, Dante knows he hurt her deeply when he didn't leave Melissa. But he loves his wife. He also loves his children. They are the reason he does what he does. Dante briefly considers using his profession to get Peter out of the way. It seems like it is the only way to get Sky back.

…

As Peter pulls up at the Hale house, he can see his six year old nephews, Derek and Jesse passing the ball between them while sitting on the porch is Laura reading a book. The three children look up at the sound of the car and stand up excitedly, for Uncle Peter promised to have a surprise for everyone upon his return. With a smile on his lips, Peter parks the car and gets out.

"What is it?" Jesse asks immediately. "Where is it?"

"Slow down buddy," Peter chuckles and goes to open Sky's door. "The surprise is not an 'it', is a she!" And he opens the door letting Sky get off. She still clutches the teddy bear in her hands and looks with wide eyes at the three children. "Lady and boys, say hello to your new cousin Sky. Sky say hello to your new family."

Sky lowers her eyes when she meets a pair of green eyes on the dark haired boy. While Sky is not shy by any means, she has felt sad and unwilling to talk since last night when her mom went to sleep. Peter frowns when all three children remain mute and staring at Sky like she's a strange being.

"Hello," Derek is the first to speak. "I'm Derek."

"Hello," Sky greets quietly finally tearing her eyes from the ground and meeting Derek's green eyes.

Derek gives Sky a sweet smile, and despite her sadness, Sky can't help but return it.

**I wrote half of this chapter half asleep so pardon any mistakes and crappiness of the chapter. I did proof read when I was a little more awake, but I may have missed some things. I shall get better. What do you think so far? Would you prefer I continue with third person or shift to first person point of view? **


	3. Promises

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf**

Chapter 2: Promises

Peter leaves the children to get acquainted. He takes out Sky's luggage from the trunk and carries it up the stairs to what would be her room. Thinking of giving Sky the freedom to decorate her room as she pleases, Peter leaves the room untouched to find his brother Adam and talk about Sky and Dante. He approaches his brother's office and knocks walking in once Adam shouts for Peter to enter.

"Peter," Adam says looking up from the files on his desk. "Is everything settled?"

"Yes," Peter sighs heavily as he lowers himself into a chair facing Adam's desk. "She is my ward. I requested to change her name to Hale."

"That's good," Adam smiles but he soon turns somber. "I'm sorry about Emily."

Peter rubs his eyes. "Yeah. Me too."

"What's next?"

"We make her part of the family."

"I hope you do not mean…" Adam trails off as he frowns at his younger brother. "She's too young."

"Of course not now!" Peter responds a little outraged as if he is really about to doom young and innocent Sky to lycanthropy. "It will be her choice."

Adam nods satisfied with the answer of his brother. As Alpha of the pack, Adam prefers to give his human nieces and nephews the choice of staying human or changing into werewolves. If they choose to be werewolves, Adam makes sure to put them through a series of exercises to judge their character and strength. If they fail, they do not get the bite, but if they pass, well, the outcome is predictable and rewarding. Unlike his brother, Peter thought that the bite should be given freely to those who seek it. His mentality is that the numbers make Adam, the Alpha, and the pack much stronger. While that is true and Adam agrees in strengthening the pack, he's not about to risk anyone and everyone to be prosecuted by the Argents. Speaking of whom…

"I hear Gerard is in town," Adam says as his lips form a thin line.

Peter grunts. "So? We have done nothing wrong according to their 'code.' He better not come snooping around."

"Let's hope he doesn't," Adam replies baring his teeth. "We still need to keep an eye on him and his men."

"I agree," Peter leans forward on his brother's desk. "Adam, I made a promise to Emily. I'm going to need your help to keep it."

"What is it?" Adam frowns.

"She wants me to keep Sky's father away from her." Peter goes on to tell his brother everything from the way Dante had used Emily to seeing him at Emily's funeral.

"It sounds like he wants to be a part of Sky's life," Adam gets up from his chair and moves to the cabinet holding his liquor. "Maybe we ought to-"

"No," Peter says firmly not even letting his brother finish his sentence. "Emily made it clear she didn't want Sky near Dante. If he left them-"

"He said Emily pushed him away," Adam sets a glass of whiskey in front of Peter and sips his own.

"She was angry," Peter argues. "And she had every right after the way he used her."

Adam sighs and finishes his drink. "Listen Peter,"

"I know what you are going to say," Peter says getting up from his seat and looking out the window at the backyard. "I shouldn't stand in the way of father and daughter, but I made a promise. I can't break it. Besides, I love Sky like she's mine."

"But she is not," Adam says gently. "You will have your children one day. Sky is someone else's daughter. You can't keep this man and Sky away from each other." He finishes realizing that Peter had indeed guessed right what he would say.

"Will you help me or not?" Peter sighs annoyed. His brother does make a good point, but Peter can't bring himself to break the promise to Emily. "I just need you, Grace, Julie and the older children not to let Dante come near Sky. We have to look after her. Besides, Emily told her Dante is dead."

Adam groans. "Jesus Christ, why did Emily lie to Sky? Why is she making you keep father and daughter apart? It's not fair."

"It's not fair that Emily was used!" Peter shouted outraged. Emily may not have handled things the right way, but Peter knew she had every right to inflict pain on Dante after the pain she had to endure after he left her. "Not once did he really fight for Sky. I know that for a fact. He didn't even say anything when Sky was born, and Emily didn't register her as Dante's daughter. He didn't care!"

"Fine," Adam throws his hands up in defeat. "I see what you mean. I will help you. We all will. But I don't like this."

Peter grins and takes his drink. "Thank you brother," he downs the alcohol. "I knew I could count on you."

"Yeah, yeah," Adam rolls his eyes and pours more whiskey.

…

Feeling anxious around new people is strange behavior for Sky. Normally, she is outgoing and very charming when meeting strangers. Sky hasn't met anyone who is not immediately taken by her bright blue eyes and wavy black hair. Obviously she is used to being well liked by all the children she encounters at day care, the play grounds, and her neighborhood, so it comes as shock when Jesse Hale hits her in the face with the soccer ball.

"Jesse!" Laura shouts outraged as she runs from the porch to Sky who is crying as the blood pours from her nose. "What is wrong with you?" Laura glares at Jesse.

"She got in the way!" Jesse shouts in defense.

"He did it on purpose," Derek informs Laura as he sits next to Sky unsure of what to do. He takes her teddy bear to keep it from getting drenched in blood, but it is too late. Several drops of blood have landed on the bear's soft and furry head.

"Derek, go get Uncle Peter. Hurry!" Laura commands Derek as she pulls Sky up from the ground.

Derek nods and runs inside the house shouting for Peter. Meanwhile Sky keeps on crying scared at the sight of blood and the horrible pain around and in her nose.

"It's ok Sky," Laura tries to soothe her. "Uncle Peter is coming." She angrily turns to Jesse. "You are in so much trouble!"

"Yes he is," Peter growls when he reaches the children as Derek and Adam follow closely behind him. Without another word, he picks Sky up in his arms and takes her to the house.

"You think it's broken?" Adam asks as Peter places Sky gently on her new bed.

"No," Peter responds grabbing the bed sheets piled up at the foot of the bed. "Her nose is not crooked or misshapen. I think she will be fine. Laura, honey, go get some ice and bring the first aid kit!"

Laura takes off to do as she was asked leaving Peter to wipe the blood from Sky's face. Jesse stands by the doorway glaring at Sky for all the attention she is getting.

"Come on Jesse," Adam pulls him by the shoulder. "You are grounded in your room until your mom gets home."

"Uncle Adam!" Jesse whines. "That's not fair! She got in the way!"

"Derek says he did it on purpose," Laura says as she hands Peter the first aid kit and the bag with the ice.

"He did," Derek agrees as he watches Sky; he is still clutching Sky's teddy bear protectively. "He said she had a stupid face, and he didn't like it, so he kicked the ball hitting her in the face."

"You liar!" Jesse shouted.

"That's enough Jesse," Adam commands leading him out of the room and chastising him.

"Lean forward Sky," Peter orders gently as he angles her head so she's looking at the floor. Once Peter is sure the bleeding has stopped, he makes Sky lay down in her bed and places the ice bag wrapped in a ripped bed sheet carefully on her nose. "That's my girl." Peter smiles proudly at Sky, who is biting her lip trying to keep from screaming. Her eyes water in pain and her nails dig into her palm making small crescent moons in her skin. After about ten minutes with the bag on her nose, Peter removes the ice and rummages through the first aid kit. He pulls out a bottle and pops out one pill.

"Anyone want to bring Sky some water?" Peter asks.

"I'll do it," Laura offers getting up from the reclining chair across Sky's room.

"Derek," Peter turns to his nephew as he gently lifts Sky head off the bed. "Can you pile up two pillows?"

Derek nods and grabs two pillows and stacks them on top of each other under Sky's head. Sky and Derek lock eyes, and he tries to give her a smile that says 'everything is ok.' Sky wishes she could smile back, but she's afraid of moving a muscle since her face is still burning. Though the ball didn't hit her too hard, Sky's nose is a bit swollen and red.

"Thank you son," Peter lays Sky's head back down as Laura returns with a glass of water. He thanks her and gives Sky the pain killer. "You can try to sleep if you want Sky. I'll be here."

"Me too," Laura smiles reassuringly at Sky. She then turns to her uncle, "Can I sleep here?"

"Where?" Peter asks though it warms his heart at seeing Laura accept Sky so fast. Laura has always been the kindest of all his nieces and nephews, along with Derek. They happen to be Peter's favorite, but he hardly goes around saying that: he doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. But Derek and Laura have always been smart, compassionate, and loving children that is not hard for people to love them.

"On the chair or the floor," Laura shrugs. "I don't mind."

"I want to stay too," Derek adds.

"Sleepover?" Peter chuckles. "Fine. Let's ask Sky though if she wants the company."

Sky simply nods and smiles briefly. Once it is settled, Peter sends the children off to let Sky rest for a while and get ready for their sleepover. A while later, Derek returns to Sky's room. She is still lying in bed with the two pillows under her head and watching Spongebob Squarepants. She giggles every now and then though the pain is still there.

"Hey," Derek says as he makes his way to the foot of the bed and sits. "I have your teddy bear. I asked Laura to help me wash it since it got blood on it." He smiles timidly and hands Sky the teddy bear.

She grabs the teddy bear and looks down at it. It is clean and smells of lavender. Hugging her bear tightly, Sky gives Derek a small and thankful smile.

"You don't talk much huh?" Derek frowns. "Why?"

Sky doesn't respond, and she frowns like Derek. Why hasn't she spoken? The last thing she said was hello and then of course she cried and screamed when Jesse hit her in the face.

"I'm sad," Sky says and her voice sounds husky.

"Why are you sad?" Derek asks with concern. "Because Jesse hit you? He's dumb and mean to people."

"No," Sky responds patting her bear. "Mommy is asleep. I miss her."

"Asleep?" Derek asks confused. "Oh." And he suddenly understands. Sky doesn't know what being dead means. Well, Derek does. Laura explained it to him when their own mom died in a car accident last year. Without another thought, Derek climbs on the bed and crawls toward Sky. She moves over making space for him in the twin bed. "I miss my mom too." Derek confesses.

"She's sleeping too?" Sky asks looking at Derek out of the corner of her eyes because if she moves her head, her nose hurts. But she can see the sadness in Derek's face when he nods responding to Sky's question. "My dad is sleeping too."

"I'm sorry," Derek says though he knows Sky doesn't understand why he's saying that. "We are your family." He says after a moment of them watching the TV. Sky giggles at something stupid Spongebob and Patrick have done. She probably didn't hear what Derek said, and he doesn't care. She will know one day everything, and he will be there for her because she is part of his family. Part of his pack. A while later, both kids fall asleep with Derek's arm over Sky's belly, and Sky clutching the bear close to her nose where she can smell the lavender.

…

Dante slams the door to his car and stomps up the stairs of the Argent home. He rings the doorbell constantly until Rebecca Argent opens the door. She sighs and steps aside letting Dante in without another word.

"Gerard is in the studio," Rebecca informs Dante of the whereabouts of her husband knowing that he is whom Dante wants to see.

"Thanks," Dante mutters as he makes his way to the studio. He knows he's in a bad mood and shouldn't be taking his anger on anyone else but Peter Hale, but he can't help himself. The events of that morning still sting his pride and heart. How dare Emily give Sky away to Peter? A werewolf! Did she even know what he is? Dante shakes his head. She couldn't know. If she had known, she wouldn't have left Sky under the care of the wolves, would she?

"Come in," Gerard responds to Dante's knocking. "Dante."

"Gerard," Dante greets his boss and sits down in one of the chairs across Gerard's desk. He rubs his eyes and sighs exasperated. "I need a favor."

"What is it my boy?" Gerard gets up from his desk and goes to sit next to Dante.

"Emily is dead," Dante doesn't know how she feels about the death of his lover. He certainly cared for her, but he didn't love her. Sometimes he wonders why he even started the affair with Emily since Melissa is the only woman he will ever love with such intensity. However, thinking of little Sky and her birth makes him believe that the affair is worth all the guilt he feels every time he sees Melissa and Scott's brown eyes.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Gerard squeezes Dante's shoulder and gets up from his seat going to fill some glasses with tequila.

"Yeah," Dante exhales loudly and looks up at the ceiling. "The favor I need… Gerard, Emily took Sky away from me. She gave _my daughter _to Peter Hale."

Gerard's head snaps up, and he sets the bottle of tequila angrily on the bureau. "That's appalling! Your daughter is in danger."

"Tell me about it," Dante snorts. "We need to take them out. I want my daughter back."

"I know you do," Gerard smiles evilly as he grabs the glasses of tequila. This is just what Gerard has been waiting for: an excuse to bring the Hales down. In reality, he had already been seeking a reason to go after the Beacon Hills local pack, but the bastards are clean. Now using Dante's daughter as an excuse, Gerard can follow their every move and not risk his men turning against him for not following The Code. Gerard's smile fades as he turns and changes his face to mirror concern. "But unfortunately the code won't allow us to do anything. The Hales, unfortunately and for the moment, are clean." He gives Dante the tequila which Dante quickly downs.

"There has to be something," Dante groans.

"I'm afraid not," Gerard drinks his own tequila and sits next to Dante. "But don't worry my boy. They will slip, and we will be there to cut them in half."

"I can't wait," Dante gets up and begins pacing around the studio. "In the meantime, my daughter could be hurt!"

"Appease yourself my boy," Gerard chastises as he refills the glasses. "That will not happen. I'll make sure she's watched carefully."

"Thank you," Dante feels relieved to have Gerard back him up and understand the gravity of the situation.

"I promise you my boy," Gerard says as he hands Dante his refilled glass of tequila. "We will get your daughter back." They clink their glasses against each other in camaraderie.

…

"Do you want me to read to you Sky?" Laura asks one afternoon. It has been a month since Sky came to be a part of the Hale family. Everyone has come to love her, and it feels like she has been with them since her birth. Everyone except Jesse. He still looks at her with anger and dislike; he sometimes makes her trip and throws stuff at her when no one is looking. Sky never says anything just glares at him. Laura and Derek, on the other hand, have become attached to Sky.

"Yes!" Sky shouts and moves from her spot by the lake to run back to Laura sitting under the tree. "_Horton Hears a Who_?" That is still Sky's favorite book. Uncle Peter reads it to her every night. Well, he hasn't for the past week because he's out on business, but he returns tomorrow.

"I didn't bring that one," Laura says apologetically to her. "I brought _Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone_ and _Charlotte's Web._ Which one do you want?"

"You're such a nerd," Jesse calls running out of the lake with something behind his back. "Who brings books to the lake?"

"Shut up Jesse," Laura growls. "Go away."

"Ok," Jesse shrugs. "Hey look!" He points behind Laura. She looks back and as she does, Jesse drops a bunch of worms and mud on Sky's head. Before Sky can react, he turns around and runs back to the lake.

"Ew," Sky giggles. "Worms." She shakes her head making the worms spill everywhere even on Laura and her books.

Laura yelps and gets up throwing her books aside. "JESSE!" She roars and runs after him. "I'm going to kill you!"

Sky keeps shaking her head until there's only mud on her hair. Derek jumps from a nearby tree and lands next to her. He turns to briefly glare at Jesse, who is being chased by a raging Laura as he laughs. Sitting down next to her, Derek tries to wipe the mud off her hair.

"He's so mean," Derek huffs.

"Look!" Sky is too delighted with the slithering worms to pay any mind to Jesse's malicious intentions when he dropped the worms on her head.

Derek laughs watching Sky's delighted face. While Laura and Jesse throw mud and water at each other, Derek and Sky play around with the worms throwing them at each other until they get bored and the worms die. Looking for something else to do, Derek gets up and pulls Sky up with him. He holds her hand as they walk through the forest in the direction of the house.

"Jesse!" Laura squeals in the distance.

"I got you in the fa-_hmph_!" Jesse's delighted shouting is cut short by probably mud in his mouth.

Derek helps Sky over a fallen tree trunk. Over the past month, Sky hasn't changed much. She still doesn't talk like she used to. Derek knows Uncle Peter makes a fuss about that, but Derek knows Sky doesn't speak because she's just sad, and he understands her sadness. Besides, Sky does talk. Sometimes. Most of the time, she talks to Derek. Other times she talks to Laura mostly to demand she reads Dr. Seuss to Sky. But Derek has come to grow comfortable in her silence and brief sentences. Her smiles and pouts speak miles to Derek.

"Look," Sky points to, what Derek knows, is the entrance to the tunnels under the house. "What is it?"

Before Derek can respond, Laura shouts his name and Sky's. "Over here!" Derek shouts back knowing Laura will find them. And soon enough, she rounds a thick tree and walks towards Derek and Sky while Jesse follows closely behind. Both of them are covered in mud from head to toe.

When Laura realizes what Derek and Sky are looking at, she frowns. "We are not supposed to be here."

"At night," Jesse adds walking towards the entrance. "Come on! Let's go see what's inside!"

"You know what's inside," Laura rolls her eyes but steps forward anyway.

"But she doesn't," Jesse points to Sky who is looking curiously at the tunnels' entrance. Jesse could care less what Sky knows or doesn't, but this is his chance to persuade the Hale siblings into going inside the tunnels.

Laura and Derek lock eyes both of them wondering if it's a good idea to show Sky what's in there. She's too young to understand what happens to some of the Hales. Thinking that yes, Sky is too young to understand, and they don't have to explain anything to her, they decide to go in. This will just be an adventure, so Derek shrugs and steps toward Jesse pulling Sky by the hand. Laura sighs knowing she's outnumbered plus she is kind of curious as to what they have done with the place.

Jesse and Derek know exactly where the loose bars are. This strikes Laura as odd, but she doesn't say anything. Once the way is cleared, all four children step inside the tunnels where it is dark and smells of mildew and wet dog. Sky steps closer to Derek who squeezes her hand reassuringly and like that Sky is not afraid anymore. She knows Derek will protect her. He has been protecting her from Jesse for the past month. Of course, Derek can't always be there so Jesse gets away with a couple mischiefs. But so far, Derek has been reliable in chasing away the monsters under her bed and in her closet.

"Boo!" Jesse shouts in Sky's ear.

"Jesse!" Sky shouts angrily.

"Leave her alone," Derek pulls Sky to his other side and away from Jesse.

"Just trying to be funny," Jesse murmurs moving up ahead next to Laura who smacks him in the head once he passes her. He glares at her but says nothing else as they move deeper.

Soon, the children face a big iron door. Luckily, the door is not locked, but it is heavy. It takes the four children to push the door open, and when they do, Sky gasps. The door reveals an almost empty room with high windows. A couple of chairs are lined up along the walls with chains at its feet. There are also several cages and a trunk.

"Woah," Jesse gulps. "This is where…"

"Yes," Laura whispers as she gently touches the nearby chair. "This is where we'll be."

"Unless we learn to control ourselves," Derek adds as he steps toward the trunk pulling Sky with him. He briefly lets go of Sky's hand, which is rare given that since Sky recuperated from her broken nose, both children seemed to have their hands glued together except when they need both hands to do a task like right now. Derek pushes open the trunk and finds more chains inside. Grabbing one of the chains, Sky tries to pull it up, but it is too heavy for her.

"Dee," Sky turns to Derek with a questioning look in her eyes. "What's this for?"

Derek turns to look at Laura asking for help and hoping she takes over, but she is busy gazing down at the chains on the floor. She is either wondering if she will be tied down here if she can't control herself, or she's looking away on purpose. Jesse, on the other hand, is examining the cages with a look of wonder on his face. That leaves Derek to deal with Sky's question. How does he explain when Sky can't even understand that her mom is not asleep but dead? She's too young to understand anything. Yet when he looks into her curious eyes, Derek can't deny her an explanation.

"It's for werewolves," Derek begins throwing his arm around the small four-year-old. "You know what a werewolf is?" Sky shakes her head. "It's when a person turns into a wolf."

Sky ponders this as she looks down at her feet. "Dee, are you a wolf?"

"Yes. Well not yet."

"Huh?"

"Oh don't try to explain to her," Jesse sneers. "She's too stupid."

"Shut up." Laura pulls Jesse out of the cage. "We need to go. Don't tell anyone about this, understood?"

Derek and Jesse nod knowing that if they tell anyone that they were here, they would be in so much trouble. Sky, on the other hand, doesn't understand what the big deal is or what the heck is a werewolf?

"Dee," Sky stops halfway out of the tunnels. Her eyes question Derek to explain himself, but he can't. He doesn't have the words to explain what he is, what half of his family is, but he does have books with pictures. Once they are out of the tunnels, Derek takes Sky to his room and makes her sit on the bed as he looks for the books his mom bought him long ago. When he finds them, he pulls Sky close and opens the book to a picture of man caught in between the transformation from human to werewolf.

Sky gasps at the sight of the coming pictures. Though they are not gory, Sky doesn't like the half man, half wolf pictures. The men look mean and scary. She turns to Derek with tears in her big blue eyes.

"Dee," her lips quiver. "Will you be scary?"

"Oh no," Derek shakes his head and pulls Sky for a hug. "We are not scary. We don't hurt our family or people." He bites his lips. "I'll explain later ok?"

Sky wipes her face and nods trusting Derek when he says he wouldn't hurt anyone, and that the people in the book are not like her new family. She knows he's right because they are all so nice to her. Derek closes the book and puts it back on his closet.

"You have to promise to never tell anyone what I told you or about where we were ok? Promise to keep our secret."

"I promise," Sky nods and bites her lip. "Dee, promise you won't hurt me." Even though she believes and trusts Derek, Sky wants a promise that he'll never hurt her whether he is a wolf or not.

"I promise," Derek says without hesitation. Despite their young ages, both children feel and understand the importance of their promises. They know they will look after each other.

**Oh gosh. I suck at writing about young kids. Ugh. Thankfully, and hopefully, I'm moving up! Thanks for the reviews guys! (:**


	4. Never Leave Your Partner

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf.**

**Have you all had insomnia before? I bet y'all have. I've had it for the past week and nothing good ever comes from being sleep deprived (duh right?) However this time, my insomnia has made my creative juices flow, and I think of things that I probably never considered. I also have found some mistakes in my plot, so I just wanted to say that before they pop up, I have fixed them. Just heads up because I don't know; you guys probably won't notice (hopefully) Ok, I'll shut up. I'm rambling. Oh god. I need sleep. Or coffee. Both. Ignore me. **

Chapter 3: Never Leave Your Partner

_*7 Months Later – Christmas time* _

Running after Derek is such a pain in the butt for Sky. She doesn't chase him often because he likes to keep her close, but he gets easily excited about running and jumping from tree to tree like a monkey; Sky tries her hardest to keep up with him. However, her small legs and Derek's abnormally long legs, for a seven year old, doesn't help her any. Laura, like Derek and pretty much all Hale children, are like gazelles gracefully pouncing from one place to another in no time. And Sky is not the only child who gets angry and desperate to catch up with Derek and Laura. Jesse feels a pang of jealousy watching Derek jump from one branch to another as he howls with laughter ,and Laura, her brown hair blowing in the wind as she races back to the house her feet barely brushing the ground.

"Dee!" Sky calls out for Derek to wait for her, but he keeps going. He can't hear her because he's laughing so loud. She pushes her legs to go faster to catch up to Jesse at least, and she almost does until she hears leaves being rustled and twigs snap nearby. Sky stops and listens to the forest. When she hears the leaves rustling again, she forgets the race and sets out to find out who's out there.

"That's not fair!" Jesse whines and wheezes when Derek, Laura and Chase beat him and Sky back to the house. "When I said… race I…" Jesse collapses on the ground as he drags in the air. "You suck!"

Derek, Laura and Chase roar with laughter watching Jesse so beat from the race. "Not so mighty now, huh?" Chase teases his young cousin.

"Where's Sky?" Derek asks suddenly when he realizes the young girl has not run to his side like always.

"She was right behind me," Jesse gets up and makes his way inside the house. "I'm thirsty."

"Oh no you don't," Chase grabs Jesse by the shoulder and pulls him back. "We have to find our cousin."

"Dee!" Sky shouts suddenly making the boys and Laura jump fifty feet in the air.

Without another thought, Derek takes off following the sound of Sky's voice. Adrenaline and fear pump his heart as he tears through the trees in search for Sky. He repeats to himself that if anything happens to her, it will be his fault, and he would be breaking his silent promise to always look after her.

"Dee!" Sky shouts again.

Her voice is off; she doesn't sound terrified or hurt. But Derek doesn't stop until he finds her sitting by a fallen tree covered in moss and leaves while she holds something furry in her hands. At the sound of Derek's footsteps followed by the other children, Sky looks up. Her face lights up with a joyful smile, and despite the scare Derek just got, he returns the smile.

"Kitty!" Sky shouts delighted stroking the furry thing in her arms.

Derek gets closer and sees that the furry thing in Sky's arms is a small kitten with orange fur. Before he sits down next to Sky, something rubs up against Derek's leg. Looking down, he finds another kitten this one with gray and white fur. Derek bends down and picks up the little kitten and takes a sit on the ground next to Sky.

"It's a litter!" Laura coos as she kneels next to the hole under the fallen tree and pulls out yet another gray and white kitten. "And they are so young!"

"Obviously," Jesse rolls his eyes as he picks up his own kitten. "Otherwise they'd be hissing at you, Derek and Chase." And he is right. Cats sense the supernatural, and they don't like it.

"They are adorable," Laura says ignoring Jesse's comment and tone. "We should keep them."

"Right," Chase snorts. "Uncle Adam would just _love _to have more beasts running around his house."

"Well, we can't leave them here," Laura protests as she kisses the top of the kitten's head. "They'll freeze to death."

"Kitty!" Sky pouts as the kitten jumps out of her hands.

"Let's take them to the house," Derek suggests as he catches Sky's kitten and gives it to her. "Maybe Dad can take them to a shelter or something."

"Good idea Derek," Laura smiles getting up and picking another kitten. They are six in total. Each carrying a kitten, Laura carrying two, the children make their way back to the house. Derek stays back and with his free hand, grabs Sky's bicep leading her over the tree roots which she ignores as she giggles at the kitten licking her face and purring into her neck.

"Don't go off alone again," Derek says to Sky as they near the house. "You could get hurt."

"No," Sky looks up at Derek. "You watch me." She smiles and returns her attention to the kitten.

"Still," Derek helps Sky over a nasty root. "Don't wander, ok?"

Sky nods understanding that Derek doesn't want anything to happen to her. "Kitty, kitty, kitty." She chants as the children go up the steps of the porch and inside the house.

"Can't you say anything else?" Jesse bumps into Sky on his way to the kitchen. "Stupid kid."

"Leave her alone Jesse," Derek sighs exasperated as they all march to the kitchen to feed the kittens who are without a doubt hungry. "After all this time you keep being mean to her."

"She's stupid," Jesse shrugs.

"Jesse," Aunt Julie, his mom, chastises when she hears what Jesse has said. "Be nice. Oh," she gasps when she sees all the kittens walking around the kitchen. "Where did these little guys come from?"

"They are really young," Laura informs her aunt as she pulls out the milk carton and a bowl to feed the kittens. "Can we keep them?"

"All of them?" Julie raises her eyebrows as she pets one of the little critters. "I don't think your dad would like that."

"I've told them," Chase feeds his kitten with a spoon.

"Kitty!" Sky holds up her kitten to Julie. "Kitty!"

"Yes sweetheart," Julie pats the kitten. "It's a kitty."

"No," Sky shakes her head. "Kitty!" She repeats.

"That's its name," Derek translates what Sky means to his aunt.

Even after seven months of living with the Hales, Sky still can't utter long and complete sentences. Peter has hired a speech therapist to help Sky, but she refuses to talk and when she does speak, she makes short sentences. The therapist has suggested Sky see a psychologist because maybe she is traumatized watching her mother die. So far the only person Sky talks to is still Derek.

"What a stupid name," Jesse snickers in the corner. Before any one has time to reprimand him, the front door opens and closes followed by footsteps.

"I smell…" Adam says from the foyer as he makes his way to the kitchen. "Cat."

"Kittens," Julie laughs. "There are six of them."

"Cat, kitten same thing," Adam frowns as he stands in the doorway. "The question is what are they doing here?"

"Sky found them," Jesse quickly explains.

"Did you Sky?" Adam bends down to Sky's eye level. She grins and shows him the kitten that hasn't left her arms since Derek handed it to her. "He's cute darling." Adam smiles and pets the critter. "What's his name?"

"Kitty," Sky gives him a dazzling smile.

"Can we keep them dad?" Laura asks from across the kitchen bar. "I can take care of two of them."

"We can't keep them." Adam shakes his head and straightens up. "Sorry darling, but they will get scared around us once they grow up."

"I know but in the meantime…"

Adam shakes his head. "We can't. I'll go look up some animal shelters for them. Sorry kiddos." Everyone groans and moans sadly. "In the meantime, give them a bath."

"Lunch is in twenty minutes, "Julie informs the children as they file out of the kitchen their heads hanging sadly. "Don't make a mess!"

…

"Kitty!" Sky cries as Adam places all the kittens in a box. After definitely making a mess in the bathroom, Sky fed her kitten her meatloaf and played with him until the afternoon when Adam announced he had called the animal shelter, and they are expecting six kittens. "Kitty!"

"It's ok Sky," Derek hugs Sky. "They will have a better home."

Sky turns to glare at Derek with her teary eyes. "No," her lips quiver. "Mine."

Derek just sighs and pulls Sky closer and rubs her arm. Adam places the box in the backseat of his SUV and shuts the door. The children sigh disappointed as he goes over to the driver's side of the car. Just before Adam climbs on the car, another car pulls up and Peter gets out. At the sight of Peter, Sky runs over to him and throws her arms around his neck when Peter bends down to pick her up.

"Kitty," she sobs into Peter's neck.

"Is that my new nickname?" Peter chuckles as he rubs Sky's back trying to soothe her. "I would take 'wolfy' but kitty doesn't go with me at all."

"No," Derek snickers at his uncle's joke then turns serious as he explains why Sky is sad. "It's the kitten she found under a tree. Dad says no pets allowed, so he's taking all of them to a shelter."

Peter turns to Adam who is standing by the open door of the SUV. He shrugs when Peter arches an eyebrow at him in question. Turning to Sky, he moves her wild hair out of the way and makes her look at him. He wipes her tears away with his thumb. Peter just hates seeing Sky sad; he just wants to give her the whole world. It's a fact: Sky has him wrapped around her little finger.

"You want the kitty?" Peter asks Sky.

"Yes," Sky says fiercely. "Kitty. Mine."

"I see," Peter sets her down and turns to Adam. "Well, it seems one of the kittens already has an owner."

"Peter," Adam sighs annoyed. "You know we can't…"

"Remember when we found that stray golden retriever behind the school's dumpster?" Peter interrupts his brother. "He had a broken front left paw…"

The siblings remember one afternoon when Peter had stayed for basketball practice and Adam had gone to pick him up afterwards. It had been dark by the time Peter came out of the gym sweating and laughing with his friends. When Peter was about to climb on his brother's Audi, both Adam and Peter heard the pitiful howling of a dog. They decided to find out where it was coming from and found behind the dumpster a dirty, skinny, and even bloodied golden retriever. Neither Adam nor Peter had the heart to leave the poor dog, so they had taken it home.

"He was malnourished and about to die," Adam finishes for his brother. "Your point?"

"We nursed him back to health until Dad got back from his New York business trip a week later, and he made us give him up for adoption. You were so pissed and swore up and down that you would never deny your children anything."

"Peter," Adam shakes his head. "Animals around us don't last long."

"There you go," Peter smiles triumphantly as he pulls the box out of the car. "Around _us_. This little critter will be around Sky. Which one is it honey?" He sets the box down, so she can take out the orange furred kitten. She smiles delighted once the kitten is back in her arms. Peter turns to his brother once again. "Lighten up buddy," he grins and pats him on the back.

"Fine," Adam throws the car keys to Peter. "She gets her Kitty, but the rest are going to the shelter."

"Aw," Jesse whines. "That's not fair! Why does she get to keep the cat but we don't?"

"Who wants to go pick a Christmas tree?" Peter asks instead trying to diffuse the situation. And it works. Laura, Derek, Chase, and Jesse raise their hands excitedly and scramble over to the SUV. "Ready for your first Christmas with us honey?" Peter asks Sky as he picks her up and walks over to the car.

"Yes," Sky smiles and pets the kitten. "Thank you Uncle Peter." And kisses his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too kiddo," Peter says almost chocking on tears for many reasons. It has to be the longest sentence Sky has uttered to him since the funeral of Sky's mother. Another reason is that Sky has told him she loves him. Not once, even when her mother was alive, did she tell anyone that she loved them. Those three little words were reserved for Emily only. He kisses Sky's forehead and pushes her gently inside the car where Derek straps her into a chair.

Just as he climbs the car, Peter's eyes meet his brother's. Adam stands on the porch with his hands in his black pants. He smiles at his young brother seeing how happy Sky makes him. And she does. Sky fills the void in Peter's chest caused by losing Donna then his son to the state. Shaking off the sadness, Peter grins and climbs inside the car and starts the engine.

"Are you ready kids?" Peter calls out to the children before he begins to pull out of the house.

"Aye, aye Captain!" Sky shouts and begins to sing the Spongebob Squarepants theme song. "Dee! Sing with me!"

Derek laughs and feels childish singing that silly song, but he can't deny Sky anything, so he begins to sing with her soon followed by Laura and Chase. After much resisting, Jesse and even Peter join in singing all the way to the animal shelter.

…

Sky giggles as Peter throws her in the air and catches her. Walking ahead of them is Laura holding Kitty while Jesse and Chase kick a plastic bottle between them, and Derek walks next to Peter laughing at the giggles that escape Sky's mouth. They have dropped off the rest of the kittens at the animal shelter. Laura, Chase and Jesse looked depressed when Peter handed over the box to a lady at the front desk. Derek didn't feel anything but happiness for Sky getting her heart's desire.

"You can play with Kitty any time," Sky had told her cousins. Peter was amazed at how suddenly Sky seemed to recover the ability to talk.

"She was sad," Derek explained when Peter just stood watching with wonder in his eyes as Sky talked with her cousins while they waited for Kitty to get all his shots. "But she's not anymore."

Peter had simply nodded knowing Derek is the person Sky talks to the most, so his nephew understands Sky's pain.

"Wait," Peter stops throwing Sky in the air. The tree store is across the street from where they are walking. "Watch out for cars. All right, go." He says once he checks to make sure no cars are coming.

Once across the street, Laura, Chase and Jesse begin to run wild through the maze of trees looking for the perfect one that will make its home in the family room at the Hale house. The store is really a small gas station that has filled the lot behind it with trees. The air is thick with the scent of different types of trees from balsam fir to Scotch pine along with the sweet smell of chocolate chip cookies and cinnamon sold outside the gas station.

"All right," Peter sets Sky down and rubs his hands as the children gather around him. "Let's do this. Let's split up. Laura and Kitty, you're with me. Chase and Jesse, you'll go that way. Derek and Sky, you go all the way in. Hold on to Sky's hand. Remember to never leave your partner." The kids nod in excitement at the adventure and competition of who will find the tree this year. "All right go!" Peter grins and sets off pulling Laura along with him. "Shout when you get the tree!" Peter yells his last command and begins to laugh like a child as he follows Laura.

"Come on Sky," Derek grabs Sky's hand tightly in his left and leads her deep into the tree maze bordering on the line of the forest. "We have to find a good tree. It's a competition we have." Derek explains as he touches a noble fir making sure it's fresh. "Whoever picks the family tree gets to open their presents first. Cool, uh?" Derek turns to Sky. She's gone. He had briefly let go of her hand to better grasp the tree. _Never leave your partner_, Uncle Peter had said. Derek had let go of his partner. Again. He begins to panic.

Sky follows the smell of the cinnamon cookies. Her mouth waters just thinking of them. She should have told Dee to go with her, but he hates cinnamon. The smell of the cookies soon disappears though, and Sky pouts disappointed. Turning around to get back to Derek, she collides with someone's legs. Sky stumbles back and falls on her butt. She looks up at the man, but she can't see his face well because it's covered by shadows except for the small, red twinkling lights dangling on a cord casting eerie light around the man's face. He reaches down to Sky as she closes her eyes and bites down on her lower lip to keep from screaming.

**Thanks to my usual reviewers: CatheeeD, Lycan Lover 411, and midnighquiver. You guys just make my world go round (: I hope y'all liked this one **


	5. Boogeyman

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf**

Chapter 4: Boogeyman

The stranger grabs Sky by the armpits and pulls her to her feet. He kneels in front of her and watches as the little girl shuts her eyes tight, her lower lip caught between her teeth is bleeding a little, and her hands make little fists as she digs her nails into her palms. The man can see and feel Sky's terror as her body trembles a little. He shakes his head and his lips twitch with a sad smile. The girl should be screaming for help, yet she's standing there being brave, stupidly brave. If he was raising this child, she would know to never wander alone, and he would teach her how to defend herself when she is older.

"Sorry darling," the man apologizes as he brushes a loose lock from Sky's forehead. "I didn't mean to scare you." Sky whimpers as the stranger picks her up in his arms and begins to move toward the parking lot. "I'm not going to hurt you. Go ahead baby girl, open your eyes."

Sky does as the man says because he sounds so nice, and she feels safe in his arms even though she doesn't even know him. When she opens her eyes, she can finally see the man's face thanks to the lamp close to the parking lot. The man has brown eyes and black wavy hair falling over his forehead. His complexion is tan with a somewhat long nose that curves down a little with a small bump in the middle and full cupid-shaped lips that Sky notices resembles her own.

"Who are you?" Sky asks as she cocks her head to the side narrowing her eyes at the stranger.

"My name is Dante," he smiles as he watches his daughter look suspiciously at him. "What's your name baby girl?" Dante caresses Sky's round and rosy cheek.

"Sky Hale," she squirms in the stranger's arms. "I need to find Dee."

Dante's jaw clenches hearing his daughter address herself as a Hale. How dare they brainwash her? She is his. And he wasn't about to let go not after much waiting to finally talk to her. Gerard had promised seven months ago that he would find a way to get Sky, but every moment his daughter is with the wolves, the more danger she is in. He had been watching his girl at a safe distance for the past seven months making sure the wolves didn't harm her. To Dante's dismay, he could see how much the Hales loved his daughter especially that green eyed kid who never left her side making it hard for Dante to steal a moment with her. All Dante wants is to take Sky home to Melissa and Scott. They are her family. Sky is a Lorenzo not a Hale.

"I have a present for you," Dante stops walking and maneuvers Sky so that she's sitting on his left forearm while he reaches inside the pocket of his jacket and pulls out a box.

"For me?" Sky frowns. "I don't know you. Stranger danger."

"I'm no stranger," Dante chuckles quietly at hearing Sky whisper _stranger danger _instead of screaming, not that he wants her screaming. "I'm your…"

"Put her down," Derek growls at the man with Sky in his arms. "Now!"

"Dee!" Sky shouts and squirms once again. This time, Dante puts her down. "You found me!" She smiles as Derek pulls her behind him, and they begin to retreat.

"Listen son," Dante steps forward with his palms in the air to show he carries no weapons only the small box holding Sky's Christmas present. "I only brought this for m-"

"What the hell are you doing here?" Peter comes out of nowhere and stands in front of Derek and Sky. "Sky, are you ok honey?"

"Yes," Sky says timidly from behind Derek.

"Stay away from my daughter," Peter growls as he feels his claws come out.

"Go ahead," Dante sneers. "Give me another reason to cut you in half. And she is not your daughter! She is…"

Peter punches Dante in the face splitting his lower lip and sending him flying backwards bringing down several Scotch pines. Running towards him, Peter grabs Dante by the collar of his shirt and throws him against the cold concrete floor. Sky's eyes widen in fear when several men run forward and pry Peter off Dante.

"Don't hurt Uncle Peter!" Sky shouts and moves forward to defend him, but Derek keeps her in place. Laura, knowing things are about to get ugly, pulls Sky and Derek away from the scene.

"Stay away from her, son of a bitch!" The children can hear Peter roar all the way to where Chase, holding Kitty, and Jesse are standing with a big noble fir next to them. Peter takes a deep breath and brushes his hair back. "Let's go." He says as he bends down and picks up the tree easily. "Derek, hold Sky's hand and don't let go this time."

Derek nods fervently as he clasps Sky's hand and follows Peter closely. The children are quiet on their way to where the car is parked. In silence, the children get on the car as Peter ties the tree to the car's roof without breaking a sweat. Soon enough, they are finally on their way home.

"Uncle Peter," Jesse begins timidly. "What's a 'son of a bitch'?"

"Don't repeat that," Peter says looking at Jesse through the rearview mirror. "It's a bad word. I will put a dollar in the jar when we get home."

No one says anything after that. Once Peter parks the car in front of the house, he begins to talk animatedly to the children congratulating Jesse and Chase for picking the perfect tree. The kids forget the incident as they are joined by the rest of the family to set up the tree in the family room. While the children giggle and run around the tree putting the final touches, Sky has returned to being silent. Derek sits next to her at the bottom of the stairs trying to coax her into joining the others, but she refuses so Derek sits next to her in their usual silence. After the tree is decorated, everyone goes up to bed while the adults talk about adult stuff.

…

Adam could tell something had happened when Peter took the children to choose the tree. Anger radiated off Peter even though a smile was plastered on his face as he picked up Laura to hang the star on the tree, and the tension on his shoulders was clearly visible to Adam who knew his brother well. When the children had taken a bath and had been tucked into bed by Grace, Julie, Peter and Adam, the adults convene in Adam's office to talk about what had happened. Without any encouragement, Peter tells his sisters and brother about the incident while tree shopping. At the end of his tale, Peter is worked up again.

"I wish I could just rip that son of a bitch's head off without setting the hunters on us again," Peter growls as he tugs at his hair.

"Calm down," Grace gets up and moves to stand behind her younger brother Peter to rub his shoulders. "He can't do anything to Sky. Legally, she is yours."

"I know," Peter sighs relaxing a little at his sister's words. It doesn't matter that Dante is Sky's biological father; the state granted him custody of Sky. If only he could have gotten the custody of Jackson as well. Peter shakes his head. He doesn't need any more depressing thoughts in his head like the fact he failed Donna… "We need a restraining order." Peter gets up to pace the room and clear his head.

"We just need to ignore him," Adam says as he looks up at the ceiling with his hands resting on the back of his head.

"Ignore him?" Julie snorts very unlady like. "We can't ignore this."

"I think Adam means that we shouldn't make this bigger than it is," Grace says sitting down once again next to her sister-in-law.

"This is big," Peter mutters.

"Like Grace said," Adam elaborates before his brother gets more worked up and decides to rip Dante to pieces and risk the entire family. "Sky is yours Peter. Dante can try as hard as he can to get close to Sky, but if he tries to take her, the police will be right on him."

Peter shakes his head not satisfied at all with the facts his siblings have presented him. Of course he knows the police would be right on top of Dante if he tried anything. "That doesn't worry me. What does worry me is that Dante will tell Sky who he is. Just one moment alone with her and everything will come crashing down."

"Maybe you should just take Sky and go somewhere else," Julie suggests.

Peter shakes his head. "I am not running." Peter pauses and thinks of Jackson. At least being in the same town, he can keep an eye on his son every once in a while, but his siblings don't know of Jackson or his relationship with Donna. If they did, they would judge him for falling for a younger girl. "Besides, Sky likes it here. I don't want to change her environment."

"He's right," Adam nods for emphasis. "If he takes Sky away, it will upset her." They all think of Sky's inability or unwillingness to speak to anyone, well, except Derek.

"Especially since she has become so close to Derek," Grace giggles. "Just the other day Julie and I saw Derek trying to braid her hair."

"Oh yes," Julie joins in the giggles. "Sky smacked his hands away and started trying to braid _his _hair instead."

The adults laugh at the picture in their minds of Sky braiding Derek's wild hair. Taking Sky away is out of the question. She would miss the children and the adults dearly. And the adults know they would miss her too much as well. Her smiles and occasional laughter have become a part of their lives. Everyone loves the little angel who has suffered so much without being aware of it, but one day she'll understand everything, and she would need the Hales. Her family.

"No," Peter sighs. "I'm not taking Sky away. We all just need to be alert. We need to have someone with her at all times." Peter nods satisfied with his solution. He will make sure to talk to the children and make them understand that Sky can't be left alone, and if they ever see Dante anywhere near her, they are to take her away and find one of the adults.

"You can't protect her forever," Adam pierces Peter's thoughts and plans. "She'll grow up one day and will want to know about her parents."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Peter responds unfazed and finally relaxes. "I think I'll have her be homeschooled until college then I'll send her to study abroad."

"Or you might as well take her to the tunnels, chain her to a chair or lock her up in one of the cages until she or Dante dies!" Adam snaps. "You are not thinking clearly. This will blow up in your face; in all of ours. One day she'll find out about Dante, and she will hate all of us. But without a doubt, she will hate you more."

"No she won't!" Peter snaps back. "I have this under control." He turns around and makes for the door.

"I know your intentions are good Peter," Adam calls out and stops his brother by the doorway. "But you are creating a life for Sky based on lies. Can you imagine how much it will hurt her when she finds the truth?"

Without a word to his brother, Peter stalks out of the room. He is very much aware that when, and if, Sky finds out about Dante, she will be hurt. But Sky is smart, and Peter is sure she will understand that everything he does, and will do in the future, is for her benefit. Everything.

…

Sky sits up in bed screaming incoherently and thrashes around wildly. She can still see the flames consuming it all, and the man's arms around her taking her away and not letting her save Dee. At first, Sky's dream had started pleasant. Derek and she were chasing Kitty through a field of red and white carnations as the warm sun hit their necks and the breeze blew their wild hair around. Derek held Sky's hand as they ran laughing when suddenly Sky stopped as she watched the sun hide behind dark and thick clouds that had not been in the sky seconds ago. Derek went ahead and caught Kitty while Sky looked around searching for the eyes that she knew were watching her every move. Out of nowhere, someone grabbed her roughly and pulled her up. Looking back at the stranger holding her captive, Sky saw the man from the tree store. She screamed at him to put her down, but he ignored her.

"Dee!" Sky had screamed for help. Derek ran towards her but never seemed to catch her. "Dee!" Sky screamed in panic as the fire came out of nowhere and started consuming the carnations and Derek.

The door to Sky's room bursts open, and Peter stumbles inside followed by Derek and Laura. Peter pulls Sky in his arms immediately and strokes her hair as he murmurs that everything is ok.

"Dee," Sky says through the sobs. "Dee."

Without another thought Derek climbs on the bed and grabs Sky's hands tightly as Peter keeps rocking her back and forth. Derek rubs Sky's cold hands trying to warm her up and every now and then, he gives her hands a gentle squeeze to let her know he's there to protect her. Soon, Sky calms down and lays back down in bed after Laura hands her a cold glass of water. Derek pulls Sky's teddy bear from the bureau and picks up Kitty from the reclining chair. He gives the teddy bear to Sky, who hugs it tightly to her chest, and lets Kitty cuddle against her stomach.

"You ok?" Derek asks her as he lies down next to her.

She nods. "Bad dream."

"Want to talk about it honey?" Peter asks her as he gazes at Sky with concern all over his face.

"The man," Sky gulps and rolls over to hug Derek. "He took me away from Dee. I don't want to leave Dee or my family. And then there was a fire…" Sky trails off as she begins to sob again, and Derek pulls her close to him.

Peter's jaw locks with anger at Dante because Peter can be almost a hundred percent sure that Dante is the reason behind Sky's nightmare. Who else had scared her half to death earlier by taking her away from Derek? Dante is just a danger, and Peter knows that Sky feels it. Looking at Sky in Derek's arms, Peter knows that he must reassure Sky that the Hales will always be there for her. He motions for Laura to get closer to the bed. He puts his arms around her once she's standing next to him.

"Sky," Peter takes her hand. "Remember how just last week you, Derek, and Laura chased out the boogeyman out of your closet?"

Sky nods remembering how Laura had opened the window, and Derek held the closet's door knob ready to open it while Sky held the broom in her hands. When Derek opened the closet door, Sky chased the boogeyman out of the closet and out the window. Sky remembers being really scared, but after Laura shut the window, she felt really strong and happy that she had Derek and Laura there.

"Well, this is like that too," Peter says gently and looks at Laura then at Derek. "You will always have someone there to chase away the boogeyman. He can't hurt you. We will protect you. I do need you to always be brave, can you do that?"

Sky nods. "I promise to be brave Uncle Peter."

"That's my girl!" Peter grins and kisses her forehead. "Let's all have a sleep over!"

"Yes!" Sky shouts excitedly. "But first I need to go potty."

"Ok," Peter steps back letting Sky climb off the bed. "We'll go get some sleeping bags."

Once Sky disappears in the bathroom, Peter turns to his nephew and niece. "It is important that you two listen to me," Peter whispers urgently to Derek and Laura. "Remember that man at the tree store?" They both nod hanging on Peter's every word. "We have to keep him away from Sky. He wants to take her away from us, and we can't let him can we?"

Laura shakes her head. "Who is he, Uncle Peter?"

"He's just a bad man that wants Sky," Peter says knowing the children are too small still to understand his promise to Emily. "You must promise to always protect Sky. We all will."

"I promise I won't let anything happen to her," Derek vows as his tiny hands clench into fists. "Sky is part of our pack."

"Yes she is," Peter hugs both Laura and Derek. "We always protect our pack members from the boogeyman."

"I'm hungry," Sky says as she comes out of the bathroom. "Can we get some milk and cookies?"

"We certainly can," Peter smiles standing up and walking out of the room. "I believe Aunt Julie made cinnamon cookies."

Derek groans making Sky giggle and forget all about her boogeyman because she knows her family and Dee will always protect her.

**Ok finally done with the really young age. Next up, I switch to Sky's POV, and they will all be older. I'm excited! Laters guys! (:**


	6. Bite Me

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf**

Chapter 5: Bite Me

_Sky_

Bringing both of my fisted hands up to my face in an upper block, I stop Jesse's front snap kick aimed at my face. No way in fucking hell am I letting him break my nose again. His shoe connects with my fists, and I maneuver my hands to grab his ankle before he sets his right foot down. I push his ankle upwards making him split his legs apart. His face shows how much the split hurts him, and I grin.

"Payback is a bitch," I mutter and hear Derek chuckle somewhere in the room. I smile releasing his ankle as I kick the back of his left knee with my right heel and bring him down. Knowing Jesse will just get back up if I let him go, I grab him by the neck and shove him face down before he recovers. I climb on his back and pull his arms back. He wiggles under me trying to shove me off, so I dig my heel into the dirt.

"3… 2… 1… Out!" Uncle Adam taps my shoulder. "You win again, Sky. Well done though you could have done without the cursing. You owe one dollar to the jar, young lady."

I climb off and step away from Jesse as I roll my eyes. "Come on Uncle Adam. I'm not five anymore."

"You might as well be, you stupid cow," Jesse spits.

"Jesse!" Uncle Adam snaps. "Watch your mouth!"

"Honestly, for a fifteen year old you are so immature Jesse," I say at the same time Uncle Adam chastises him.

"So Jesse," Derek puts his arm around me. "What's it like to lose to a thirteen year old girl?" He grins and leads me out of the room before Jesse tries to start something with him. Not that Derek is running away or anything, but he knows he would seriously hurt Jesse. As we leave, I hear Uncle Adam launch into yet another sermon to Jesse about being nice to me. It's not going to sink in, I know. For some reason, Jesse has always hated me from the very beginning which is unfathomable to me since I'm such a sweet kid. Anyway after all these years, Jesse's insults just go right through me.

"Thanks," I mutter poking Derek's side. "Though the 'thirteen year old girl' jab was rather unnecessary. Hurt my pride more than his."

"Oh come on," Derek kisses my temple. "I didn't mean it like that."

I roll my eyes attempting to look annoyed though I'm secretly happy he still has his arm around me and feeling his lips on my temple gives me the good kind of goose bumps. Over the years, I developed the biggest crush on my over protective, hot, werewolf, and adoptive cousin. And how could I not? Derek is gorgeous with green eyes, black, messy hair and the most beautiful chiseled body I have ever laid eyes upon. His physical appearance is not the only reason I fell for him, though it certainly helped. He has the kindest heart I know, besides Laura's, as he is always defending me from Jesse. Derek has also always been there for me since I was four and my mother died giving me to her good old friend and my Uncle Peter Hale.

As we grew up, Derek and I became inseparable telling each other absolutely everything and causing mischief everywhere we went. But as of late, things between us haven't been the same. He keeps secrets from me, and he no longer wants to hang out like before. Now he has dates. I hate all of them, and I know it's because I finally know my feelings. I love Derek. I fell so helplessly in love with him. I couldn't help myself, and I still don't know when it happened. I only know that it pains me that I can't tell him how I feel because I know he doesn't feel the same way about me. I am just Sky; his little cousin. It doesn't even matter that I'm really cute with bright blue eyes and hair as dark as night. So I have to watch him date ugly girls from his school. Except this time, I know he's not dating a girl from school. I always see him with his dates, but with this one he's keeping it super extra secret from me and everyone else.

"Sky?" Derek waves his hand in front of me. "Sky to Earth. Get it?" He chuckles as he plays with my name.

"Idiot," I mutter as I roll my eyes showing him I don't think he's funny. I step out from under his arm and walk faster suddenly needing fresh air desperately. I have been cooped up inside the tunnels all morning training with Jesse and my other human cousins. Uncle Adam puts those of us who want the bite through a series of activities to test out our strengths and weaknesses while also teach us to defend ourselves, but it's mostly to see if we are strong enough to survive the bite.

"You think Jesse will get it?" I ask Derek as we reach the exit, and he has to move the bars out of the way.

"Probably," Derek lets me go out first.

"But he's arrogant," I frown. "And annoying. And I kick his ass."

"You only say that because you hate him," he teases. "By the way you just cursed. You owe two dollars to the jar."

"Shut up," I snort as I remove the hair tie from my long black hair and let the light breeze play with it. I do have great hair, if I do say so myself. It's like silk, dark silk that falls down to my middle back in waves. "And I don't hate him. I just don't like him." I continue running my fingers through my hair.

"Same thing," he shrugs watching me out of the corner of his eyes as we make our way back to the house. Suddenly he pauses grabbing the hand I'm using to untangle my hair and pulls me back. "Why are you doing this?"

I frown uncomprehending his question. "What do you mean?"

"Why do you want the bite?"

I sigh annoyed and take my hand back. "We talked about this before." I walk faster. "I want to be like you, Laura, Chase, and Uncle Peter. I want to be strong."

"But you are," he catches up to me easily. "You don't need the bite."

I shrug as we stand on the porch. "Uncle Peter expects me to get it too."

"No he doesn't."

"Yes he does," I poke his chest. "It's my choice so bite me. Get it?"

He actually chuckles at my joke, and I grin triumphantly knowing I'm funnier than he is. Giggling, I open the door and run inside needing a shower after all the sparring and exercise of the day, and it's not even noon. Getting up at five in the morning on Saturday and Sunday is not my favorite thing to do, but the weekends are when Uncle Adam has free time. And with my piano lessons in the afternoon with Aunt Grace plus my volunteer work at Dr. Deaton's clinic, the weekends are the ideal time. Once in my room, I undo my shoe laces and throw my sneakers under the bed. Next, I pull my yoga pants down and throw them in the dirty clothes pile in my closet. Halfway to removing my tank top, the door to my room opens and Derek strolls inside like he owns the place.

"What the hell Dee! I am halfway naked!" I shout trying to cover up by pulling my tank top down. "What the fuck happened to your manners?"

He frowns at me like he doesn't know who I am as he sits on my bed. Instead of saying something like, 'the hell you looking at?', I feel mortified that he's still staring at me, so I grab my bathrobe hanging on my closet door and wrap it around me.

"I have seen you in swimsuits how different are underwear? That's three dollars by the way." He says finally responding to my shouting.

"What do you want?" I sigh tiredly.

"We didn't finish talking," he pats the spot next to him motioning me to sit down. After some thought, I sigh again and sit next to him. Immediately he throws his arm around me and squeezes my shoulder. "You don't want the bite. Don't do it."

I frown and look up at him. "Why not? Don't you want me to be like you?"

"No," he says without hesitation.

I shove his hand off and get up angrily. Suddenly I feel insecure and inadequate like I am not enough. Not only as a potential lover for Derek but as a person. For a long time, Derek has treated me like I'm weak and breakable. I know he only wishes to protect me, but jeez most of the time he makes me feel unwanted. Like now.

"You just don't want me around, do you?" I snap at him.

"Why would you think that?" He gets up and steps closer to me making me feel puny as he towers over me.

"Because we don't ever do anything together anymore," I whisper. "All you do is go on dates and hang out with those low lives at that bar. Getting the bite is the only way I can think of for us to spend time together."

I hang my head in shame as I bite the corner of my lower lip in an attempt to hold back the tears. I feel so humiliated having exposed my bizarre reason for getting the bite. I bet he thinks I am crazy, obsessed, and creepy for wanting to follow him everywhere, but I miss those days when we used to sit in the family room and watch awful TV shows. I miss sitting by the lake with him and simply talk about everything.

"Sky," he sighs no doubt with exasperation.

Before he continues and tells me how creepy I am, I interrupt. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Derek places his index finger under my chin and tips it up so I can look at him. "You should have told me what you felt. I know, I know." He sighs again grabbing my hand and pulling me down on the bed again. "We don't hang out much anymore, I know. But you don't have to get the bite to spend time with me. All you have to do is ask."

"But you're never home," I protest. "I don't see you much except when you help Uncle Adam train us."

"You're right," he gets up and kisses my forehead. "But you'll see me more often, I promise. Let's have a bad movie night tomorrow. Let me know if you're up for it. I gotta go."

"Where?" I ask narrowing my eyes and getting the feeling I know exactly where he's going.

"I have a date," he grimaces as he stops by the door proving my point about how he's always out on a date.

"Who is she?" I cross my arms giving him my angriest glare which he ignores because he has this faraway look in his eyes, and it makes me sick.

"You don't know her," he has the decency to look at the ground to hide his blush and stupid grin on his face.

It's that grin he used to give me when I was the apple of his eye. He saved those grins for me when I did something really amazing like after my first piano recital or the first time I knocked Jesse on his ass when I was ten. I used to live for that grin but now I hate it, and I want nothing more than to wipe it off his face with my fist. He likes this girl a lot, and I hate her so much even though I don't know her.

"Shouldn't we meet her? I mean at least your dad should," I shrug nonchalantly, or pretending so. I don't really care if Derek introduces this girl to the family, but I want to know who she is. I need to put a face and name to my fury and jealousy.

"No," is all he says before he leaves slamming the door.

"That door is fragile!" I shout because I can't shout that _I'm _fragile, and he's breaking me.

I take a deep breath swallowing the tears and stare numbly at the wall for a while until I remember I'm supposed to go help Dr. Deaton at his clinic. With one last deep breath, I get up from the bed and take a quick shower. As I wash my hair with my lavender and bamboo shampoo, I realize that even if Derek spends more time with me, I still want the bite. I meant what I said to him earlier. I want to be strong like he and Uncle Peter. Knowing Derek is probably in love with this girl, I want to have the ability to rip her to pieces. I grin wickedly as I rinse myself. With the bite, I can get rid of all of Derek's dates!

"I'm seriously mental." I mutter as I dismiss the thought of hurting anyone just because she is with Derek. It's not like he would ever stop seeing me as his cousin anyway. Still, I'm determined to get the bite no matter what maybe once Derek realizes I'm just like him, he will stop fooling around with simple human girls.

Shaking my head at my really stupid thoughts, I get out of the shower and get dressed quickly knowing I'm running late. I don't bother with my hair letting it dry on its own and race down the stairs. My cat Kitty jumps out of nowhere half scaring me to death. I curse silently and bend down to pick him up.

"Where have you been boy?" I scratch his furry head gently. He suddenly hisses and jumps out of my arms. "What the fuck cat?"

"I believe you owe the jar some money," Uncle Peter chuckles and shakes his head at me. "I swear you are the youngest sailor I know."

"Aye, aye captain. Too much Spongebob in my youth turned me into one," I grin and throw my arms around my favorite uncle. Even though Peter is raising me like his daughter, I never call him 'dad.' He has always been Uncle Peter to me since I have addressed him like that from a young age. Old habits die hard, I guess.

"Did you beat Jesse again?"

"Of course!" I snort.

"That's my girl!" He kisses the top of my head and pulls me up in his arms suddenly making me shriek in surprise.

"Uncle Peter!" I giggle as he throws me over his shoulder and walks to the door. "Put me down!"

He ignores me by just laughing at my feeble attempts at hitting his back. "You might take Jesse and everyone else down, but not me. Ever." He teases finally setting me down on the porch.

"Is that a challenge old man?" I arch my eyebrows as I practically jump up and down excitedly at the idea of sparring with Uncle Peter, even if he is like four hundred pounds bigger than me. Ok, that's an exaggeration, but the thought of beating the man who to me is larger than life, my invincible hero, is too tempting.

"Who are you calling an old man?" He steps forward raising his hands as if to tickle me. No doubt those are his evil intentions knowing I'm so damn ticklish. Before I run, he grabs me.

"Oh no please!" I shout as he begins tickling my stomach. I slump against him laughing so hard I am so close to peeing my pants. "Please Uncle Peter!" I gasp through the laughter.

"Say Uncle!" He shouts still tickling me.

"I just did!" I laugh even harder.

"Oh yeah," he chuckles and ceases his attack. "See? You couldn't beat me."

"You…" I gasp as the laughter begins to quiet down. "You cheated! You can take me down any time by just tickling me, but in a fight, I own you old man." I step away as he grins wickedly trying to reach out for me again. "One fight." I pout.

"Fine," he rolls his eyes. "One fight. Tomorrow night?"

"Tuesday?" I suggest remembering Derek's invitation to the movies even though at the moment I'm angry with him, and I don't want to go, I'll most likely change my mind.

Uncle Peter raises his eyebrows at me. "Do you have a tight agenda Miss Hale?" He teases as he throws his arm around me and leads me to where my bicycle is chained to a tree.

"Yup," I smile. "Busy, busy."

"Do you have something planned with Josh?" He wiggles his eyebrows at me as we finally reach my bike.

"How the f-heck do you know about Josh?" I giggle nervously as I cover up my almost curse.

He narrows his eyes teasing me about my almost slip up. "Let's just say you and Laura aren't as quiet as you think you are." His phone buzzes in his pants. Taking a quick look at it, he turns to me. "Be careful all right? Call me if you need me to pick you up after Dr. Deaton closes down." I nod, and he kisses my forehead. Answering his phone, he makes his way back to the house.

I pull out the key to the lock on my bike and unchain it as I hum to myself.

"Who's Josh?"

"Holy f-!" I jump at the sound of his voice. I turn to glare at Derek, who is twirling his keys in his right index finger. "Must you sneak up on me?" I mutter as I climb on my bike.

"You didn't answer my question," he frowns. "Where are you going?"

"Dr. Deaton's," I begin to pedal, but he grabs the handle stopping me.

"I'll take you," he says with that tone in his voice that will one day help him when he's Alpha and ordering his pack around. "And you can tell me all about this Josh."

I grimace. I would take the ride, but I don't want to talk to Derek about my love life, or lack thereof since I told Josh no. Josh is a good kid in my Anatomy class, yes, I am that smart. He's really cute with hazel-brown eyes and messy copper hair. We had gone skating last week, and I had had a lot of fun. I had stayed up all night talking to Laura about him while she gave me advice on how to handle boys given that she literally has all the boys in Beacon Hills drooling after her. She dates as much as Derek if not more. However, her advice won't be necessary because Friday when Josh tried to kiss me, I had to tell him things weren't going to go anywhere between us since I liked him only as a friend. I left out the part where I'm so in love with Derek, whom everyone thinks is my cousin. So nope. I do not want to recount that to Derek plus I'm still pissed off.

"Pass," I give him a tight smile and try to pedal, but Derek is not letting go. "You'll be late for your date." I taunt.

"Who is Josh?" His voice is harsh making me frown at him in a 'what-the-fuck-is-your-problem?' kind of way.

"It's none of your beeswax," I childishly stick my tongue out to him. "Now let me go because I'm late and so are you."

He sighs and lets go of the bike's handle. "Sky!" He shouts after me as I pedal really fast. "Remember to not talk to strangers! And stay away from this Josh kid!"

"Bite me!" I shout back. Bite me in the ass Derek Hale, I wanted to shout, but I don't want to pay the jar another dollar. Fucking jar is richer than I am granted the money in that cursed jar comes from my piggy bank. I shake my head as I hit the open road and slow my furious pedaling. I smile feeling the air blowing through my damp hair. Humming to myself, I ride my bike slowly through town waving and smiling at the people on the street.

I frown when I recall Derek's words and strange behavior. Why would he sound angry about Josh? I almost fall face down when my foot slips off the pedal at the thought of Derek possibly jealous hits me. I quickly dismiss the possibility knowing he's just being his overprotective self which kind of explains why he shouted at me to not talk to strangers. However, he always does it. Every time I go out and he happens to see me, he warns me about strangers it gets annoying. He treats me as if I was Dory from Finding Nemo, and I have some kind of short term memory loss disease. I know better than to speak to strangers after that one time a creepy man tried to kidnap me when I was little.

I try to remember the name and face of the man, but it was such a long time ago, I can't remember. I do remember getting the feeling that I was being watched but when I finally started learning to fight with Uncle Adam and Derek, I feel safer knowing I can take care of myself. Shaking off Derek's strange behavior and most annoying words, I chain my bike to the rack outside the clinic and dance my way inside the clinic.

"There she is!" Dr. Deaton smiles without looking up from his paperwork. "I thought you had fallen of the face of the earth, darling."

"How did you know it was me?" I put my hands on my hips as I glare at him.

"Who else shows up late and dancing?" He grins looking up at me.

"I'm not always late," I pout and jump over the counter. "Besides, you don't pay me."

He shakes his head disapprovingly at me for jumping the counter but smiles anyway. "Want to get paid?"

"I kind of do need money," I narrow my eyes thinking of the reason for my lack of money: the fucking jar. "That stupid jar keeps taking my money."

"Oh Sky, your sailor mouth gives your money to the jar," he laughs as he turns around and goes inside. "Come on let me show what you'll be doing today."

"What about the pay?" I say as I trail behind him half joking, half serious.

"I'll think about it."

After cleaning the cats' litter box, Dr. Deaton tells me Dexter, a lovely, white and sweet poodle, needs a walk. Poor poodle had his front left paw broken by an abusive owner, but as Dexter is able to move his paw better, he deserves a walk. I don't stay out long with the poodle because he's still recovering. However, Dexter seems intent on smelling the hell out of a tree and won't move. I'm glaring at the poodle for taking advantage of my kindness when someone taps me on the shoulder.

"Hi," I smile at the man with pretty brown eyes and curly hair.

"That is a lovely dog," he says bending down to pet the poodle. "Yours?"

"No sir. Dexter here belongs to no one. Well, I guess he belongs to my boss Dr. Deaton."

"I see," the man straightens up. "You look too young to be working." He frowns at me and tightens his lips as if he's disappointed or something.

"Hmm, I volunteer at Dr. Deaton's clinic," I tug on the poodle's leash. "And I need to get back. Come on Dexter. Have a nice day, sir." I begin to walk away getting the feeling that I know this man but don't know how.

"Wait," he catches up to me easily with his long legs. "What's your name sweetheart?"

"Sky!" That did not come out of my mouth. I look over the stranger and see Derek furiously walking towards us. "What the hell did I tell you?" He roars grabbing my arm roughly.

"Ow," I protest. "Let go."

"Young man," the stranger steps menacingly towards Derek. "I believe you're hurting the lady. Let her go." The man's voice turns to ice as he glares at Derek.

"Stay away from her," Derek snaps at the man as he steers me in the direction of Dr. Deaton's clinic. "What the fuck did I tell you? Did I not fucking tell you not to speak to strangers?"

"You owe the jar two dollars," I say pulling my arm free.

"Don't fucking play with me Skylar," he grabs my arm again. "He could be a rapist for all you fucking know!"

"I think I get my cursing from you," I mutter and Dexter growls at Derek. "Dexter doesn't like you, and neither do I."

"I'm taking you home," he says ignoring me. "And you're done helping Dr. Deaton."

I yank my arm free, stop walking and glare angrily at Derek. Who the fuck does he think he is to dictate my life? "Fucking bite me in the ass Derek Hale! You're not the boss of me!"

"No, but Uncle Peter is," he glowers.

"Oh you better not tell!" I bellow shoving him. Uncle Peter had the tendency to flip out whenever I wandered alone. In fact he had me homeschooled until I was nine then I demanded, more like threw a big ass bitch fit, I get sent to public school because I wanted to make friends. But until recently, he had to send someone with me whenever I wanted to come into town or wanted to go down to the lake. When I began to learn to fight, he eased up. If Derek tells him about this, Uncle Peter will go into cardiac rest and lock me up in my room like a princess. "You better not fucking tell, or…"

"Or what?" He grins knowing I have nothing on him.

I shove him again and walk furiously away pulling Dexter along with me. I hear footsteps behind me, and when I look back, I roll my eyes seeing Derek is following closely behind. "Go away. Don't you have a fucking date?"

He doesn't respond and keeps walking. I sigh and pretend the huge werewolf behind me is not following my every movement. Thinking of the bizarre behavior of Derek with the stranger, I frown unable to comprehend his overprotectiveness. The man looked really nice, and I doubt he would kidnap me in the middle of the day surrounded by people. Plus, I could take him down, right? What the hell has Derek so worked up? Better yet, who the heck was that man?

"So," I look down at Dexter. "Who was that man Dexter?" The poodle keeps walking. "No idea huh? I wonder if we'll see him again. He looks really nice, and you liked him didn't you? I did too."

"You better not Skylar,"

"Why Dexter you have never called me by my full name," I gasp mockingly.

"Just stay away from strangers Sky," Derek's voice softens. "I'd hate for anything to happen to you."

I swallow the knot in my throat. "Well Dexter, I know you care for me, but for fuck's sake you acted like an asshole back there. My arm really hurts." I look down at my left arm where a bruise will without a doubt appear by the end of the day.

"I'm sorry," Derek grabs my arm gently this time and pulls me back. "I didn't mean to hurt you, but I just lost it. I blame it on the full moon being so close." Without taking his eyes off me, he bends down and kisses the red marks on my arm. I bite my lower lip to stop myself from gasping and moaning at the same time feeling Derek's lips on my skin. "Is your booboo ok now?"

I roll my eyes and pull my arm back now that he ruined the fucking moment. However, his words do take me back to all those times when I would scrape my knees and hands whenever I tried dancing, and he would kiss my booboos away. Those were simpler times when his kisses were just that kisses. Now they mean the world to me. It saddens me too that I can't kiss him anymore. I used to give him kisses before going to bed and whenever he drew me something or for no apparent reason. Now, he feels awkward when I kiss him. Putting those depressing thoughts in the back of my head, I keep walking knowing Dr. Deaton is wondering where the heck I am.

"So who is he?" This time I leave poor Dexter out of the conversation.

"Why would you think I know?" Derek shrugs.

"I think you had to for you to flip out like that." I say opening the door to the clinic.

"I should flip out like that. Like I told you he could be a rapist." He glares at me and grabs my chin between his index and thumb forcing me to look at him. "Don't freaking do that again, Sky."

"Ok," I whisper and gulp rather loudly suddenly nervous at being so close to Derek. If I lean just a little, I could touch my lips to his chest shown by his v neck shirt. Before I make a fool out of myself, I shove Derek. "Now get the fuck out of here. I'm working." With that, I turn around and take Dexter back to his cage.

The rest of the day, I spend chatting with Dr. Deaton and passing him bandages as he fixes up two cats, deworms one dog, and checks up on his birds.

"It was all good even in class," I follow Dr. Deaton out to the front where he'll flip the sign from 'open' to 'close'. I have been telling him all about Josh, and he nodded here and there making some teasing comments and even singing that stupid song 'Sky and Josh sitting in a tree…' I nearly gagged. "But then during lunch, he pulls me out into the hallway because he has something to tell me. Instead he leans forward and tries to kiss… me." I finish off the last part when Dr. Deaton and I reach the front desk and find Derek leaning against the counter.

"Go on," Derek says without looking at me.

Dr. Deaton ignores Derek and goes over to the door to flip the sign. "I rather not."

"It's interesting," Derek bites down on his nails. A nasty habit he knows pisses me off.

"I was talking to Dr. Deaton." I narrow my eyes at his nails between his teeth.

"I think you can finish your story tomorrow Sky," Dr. Deaton says catching on to my reluctance to talk about Josh in front of Derek. "It's late. Go get some rest and thanks for your help."

I nod and walk towards him. I give him a quick hug as I leave the clinic. Without a word or glance to Derek, I go over to the bike rack and unchain my bicycle. It's almost nightfall, and I climb on the bike needing to get home before the full moon rises.

"I came to pick you up," Derek says opening the trunk to his mustang. "Come on."

"I think I rather exercise. It does my legs well. In fact, I feel like my calves are a little squishy, and I need to harden them if I want to try out for soc-"

"Shut up and get in the car Sky," he laughs suddenly changing moods from demanding and even angry to amused and laidback. Sometimes the werewolves' mood swings give me stomachaches.

I sigh and ride my bike over to him. I comment on how small his trunk is and my bike won't fit, but he ignores me. He gets tired of my nagging and makes me get in the car as he keeps struggling with the bike. In the end, he climbs on the driver's side with a triumphant smiled on his lips. I glare at him and hope he didn't break my bike. We ride in silence as I look out the window.

"Am I forgiven?" He asks out of the blue leaving me a little confused as to what the heck he means, but then I get it.

I look down to my arm with the purplish bruise forming. "I don't know," I mutter and look up at him. His face is distorted in obvious guilt and anger, at himself. He grips the steering wheel tightly, and I can see with the help of the dashboard's lights that his shoulders are stiff. "If you pay the fucking jar what I owe it, I'll forgive you."

He smiles and immediately relaxes. "How much do you owe it?"

"You know," I frown trying to recall. "I don't even know."

"I'll put in a fifty just in case," he laughs.

"You exaggerate." I roll my eyes knowing he can't see me. I reach out and punch him in the arm.

"What the hell?" He turns to briefly glare at me.

"That's for biting your nails!" I snap.

He turns to me and smacks me in the forehead. "That's for being you."

"Since when is being cute and awesome a crime?" I rub my forehead. After we both laugh, we revert to silence. "You were nearby when you saw me talking to the stranger?"

"Yeah."

"Are you telling Uncle Peter?"

"Nah."

"Thank you." I smile and relax in my seat. My idle mind, needing something to do and loving torturing me, began to think about Derek and his date. Where could he have been that he saw me talking to the stranger? Did he go back to his date after he left me? Who is she? Is she pretty? I bet she is. "So, um, how was your date?"

He doesn't say anything for a while and just keeps his eyes on the road. For a second, I think he's not going to answer. But then he does. "You don't really want me to answer that, do you?"

I make sure my mouth is not open as I wonder if he knows exactly how I feel. He's trying to spare me the pain of hearing of amazing his date went, and how they had spent all day holding hands and kissing. I gulp down the vile rising up my throat just thinking of Derek's lips on some slut. I close my eyes and look out the window.

"No." I whisper.

He doesn't say anything after that. I let my mind torture me for the rest of the drive because that's just the kind of masochist I am. First, I can see Derek smiling lovingly at some redhead. Then I see him placing his lips along the neck of some blonde chick with big boobs and fat ass. Lastly and most painful of all, I see him kissing my lips gently. I almost burst into tears, but I swallow the pain and take it like a big girl. Finally, we arrive at home. Opening the door to climb out, Derek grabs my hand holding me in place.

"Who is this Josh?" He asks again and thankfully saves me from more masochistic thoughts. However, when I am capable of comprehending his question, I am not sure which I rather endure the painful images my ruthless and unforgiving mind throws at me or tell the overprotective werewolf about Josh. In the end, I decide to pull out a Derek.

"You don't really want me to answer that, do you?" I almost grin when I see his astonished face that I threw his words back at him. He soon recovers and frowns seeming to think about what I just said.

"Yes, yes I do." He says in utter seriousness.

I gulp. "Well too bad because I'm not telling." I pull my hand and run inside forgetting my bike is in his trunk.

I race up to Laura's room and knock gently knowing Derek doesn't bother me when I'm with Laura. She opens a while later wearing grey sweatpants hanging low on her hips and a white tank top. Without a word I step inside, and she closes the door. It is then that I realize she's on the phone. I didn't see the Bluetooth stuck to her ear.

"Well screw you too!" One of Laura's attributes, she never curses, and when she does, they are mild curses. "You think I care?" She snorts as I make myself comfy in her pink beanbag chair. "I can have anyone I want by just snapping my fingers. Forget you! We're done." She removes the Bluetooth just as I kick my shoes off. "Hello dear." She leans forward and kisses my forehead. "You smell like cat poop."

I groan. "Yeah I had to clean the cats' litter box today."

"Oh fun." She grimaces. Despite loving animals, even though they hate her, she can never understand why I volunteer to clean poop every day at Dr. Deaton's clinic. I don't understand it either. I just know I love animals, and I want to help care for them in any way. Sometimes I think I should be canonized for all my kindness.

"So who did you break up with this time?"

"Trevor," she growls. "The jerk butt keeps whining that we don't have sex. Like I'm just going to give it to the first dumb head that comes my way."

"Fucker. I'm glad you dumped him," I yawn involuntarily. "Sorry. Long day."

"One dollar…"

"To the fucking jar," I finish for her with a sweet smile. "That jar is literally fucking me over. I'm poor."

She simply shakes her head as she laughs and sits next to me. "What are we going to do with you?"

I shrug and lean over to lay my head on her lap. "Love me?"

"You know we do," she starts playing with my hair. Laura has always been the sister I never had. Even though she is five years older than me, she treats me like her equal telling me all her secrets and hopes for the future. I know she wants to be a doctor, and she recently got her acceptance letter to Dartmouth School of Medicine, which is the school of her dreams. Laura is such a contrast from her brother Derek, who has been treating me like I'm not enough for him anymore. I'm not his favorite and most beloved person anymore.

"Derek doesn't," I tell Laura how I have been feeling lately, leaving out the part where I'm in love with her brother because I don't want to make a total fool out of myself. "I just don't think he wants me around anymore." I conclude with my sad, pathetic, and stupid life story.

"He does," by the time I finished with my story, Laura had managed to braid my wild hair into a French braid. "He loves you Sky, and he's protecting you when he says you shouldn't get the bite. You don't understand what it's like Sky. Every month you are out of control wishing to rip anything and anyone with a pulse. It's terrible." Laura shivers remembering, no doubt, her times in the tunnels locked up and chained until she learned to control herself. "I saw my dad and Aunt Grace as nothing more than flesh, and I wanted to rip them apart."

I gulp trying to fathom what it would be like to think of my family as nothing but flesh and blood. I never thought of this before. Obviously I knew I would have a tough time adjusting to the new me once I am bitten, but hearing Laura try to make me understand what I could be getting into, I'm not sure I want Uncle Adam to bite me, literally. And now, I feel like an asshole for snapping at Derek and feeling he didn't love me. In fact, he loves me so much that he's trying to save me.

"Come on," Laura pulls me up after watching me ponder her words in silence. "I will show you."

"Show me what?"

She doesn't say anything as she stealthily leads me out of her room, through the house, and down to the basement.

"What are we doing here?" I ask as Laura moves a heavy metal cooler that Uncle Adam sometimes uses to store meat because the Hales love meat. I am a vegetarian. At least, I have been for the past two years. Oh the irony never fails to make me giggle, but this time I don't because Laura shows me a secret entrance to the tunnels. "Well, fuck me sideways." I whisper and Laura tusks at my cursing. Honestly, they should be used to my sailor mouth and remove the fucking jar.

"Come on," she extends her hand out to me. "Don't make a sound."

"Ok."

She leads me through the tunnels. We stop several minutes later, and Laura points up. I follow her finger but my poor sight doesn't see anything. She suddenly and effortlessly hoists me up, and I finally see it. A tunnel in the tunnels we used to use as kids. I hid in this tunnel several times when we played hide and seek down here even though we weren't supposed to. I had completely forgotten about it. I slither making way for Laura who soon joins me and begins to crawl up or forward whatever. Finally, we reach a small orifice that looks down on the room with the cages and chains. I quickly identify Derek's abnormally muscular, for a sixteen year old, figure. My eyes then locate Uncle Adam chaining up Chase, and Uncle Peter chaining up Chase's sister, Sophie. They are the only wolves in the pack that haven't controlled their wolves. The big ironed door opens and Aunt Grace walks in with Jesse next to her.

The adults don't say anything and wait. They wait for the full moon to be high in the sky. Even though the full moon is not necessary to bite a human and turn him into a wolf, that's when the Alpha is at his strongest, so his bite will more likely pass on without killing the human. I am watching Derek's stiff figure when suddenly Chase howls and beings to pull on his chains followed by Sophie. I look over to Aunt Grace and her illuminated face by the moon. She is standing still and shows no emotion, but I can only imagine how hard it must be to watch her children so out of control and knowing they want to rip her apart.

"Are you sure about this Jesse?" Uncle Adam asks as he pulls Jesse closer.

He nods suddenly gone mute. Uncle Adam meet's Uncle Peter's eyes briefly and nodding to each other, Uncle Adam begins to shift to his full wolf form. The sound of bones cracking makes me wince, but I can't avert my eyes. It's like I'm hypnotized. A couple seconds more of bones breaking, a huge white wolf stands in front of Jesse. Before Jesse knows what bit him (get it?), Uncle Adam howls once then bites him. Jesse shouts in pain, and I cringe biting down my lower lip so hard to keep from whimpering that I taste blood. Uncle Adam shifts back to his form and pulls Jesse up on a table. Aunt Grace begins to cover up the wound. The whole time, Chase and Sophie kept howling like crazy, because they are, and pulling furiously on their chains. Jesse's whimpers are my undoing. He is always so strong and arrogant and watching him unable to keep the pain inside of him, makes me want to weep and hug him. I finally look away.

Later that night, I wake up drenched in sweat from a very graphic nightmare of a black wolf chasing me. I tripped on something and fell on the dirt. Looking around for the wolf, I find that the thing I tripped on was Laura's torso. I couldn't wake up until I saw the red eyes of the Alpha before jumping on me and biting me. I sit up in bed gasping for breath. A hand shots out from next to me and grabs my shoulder. I open my mouth to shriek when the hand covers my mouth.

"Shh," Derek's soothing voice comes from next to me. "It's just me."

I relax and Derek lets go of me. Rubbing my face, I look at the clock on my bedside table. The red letters announce it's four in the morning. Fuck. Only three more hours of sleep. After Laura got me out of the tunnels, she had asked me if I would be ok. Putting on my big girl face on, I told her I would. But as soon as I turned off the light of my room, I couldn't help but feel like there was something in my room. Finally, at around one in the morning, I fell asleep only to be woken up by my nightmare. Thinking of Laura's torso and the Alpha biting me finally brings me over the edge, and I begin to cry in that weird ass way of mine where I hiccup and sniff at the same time. Derek's arms wrap around me and pull me down on the bed with him. He pulls me close and rubs my back as I hold his shirt tightly in my hands. He doesn't say anything. I think he knows I was there, but I don't want to ask him because then I start remembering Jesse's whimpers and Chase and Sophie's crazed howling.

"You're right," I hiccup and sniff. "I don't want the bite."

He kisses my forehead and doesn't say anything else after that. There's nothing really to say, so I just let him hold me. After a while, I calm down and realize Derek is still wearing the same clothes as earlier.

"Haven't you gone to bed?" I ask him wiping my nose with the back of my hand. Fucking gross.

"I have been in bed," he whispers. "I came up to check on you, and I thought I'd sleepover." I can feel his grin in the darkness.

At first, I am rendered speechless. "You've been sleeping next to me all night?" I whisper back.

"Well only two hours," he says rather shyly. "I was helping Dad out." He doesn't go into details, and for that I am thankful. "I hope you're not mad."

"No," I respond too quickly. "I mean, I'm glad that you're here with the nightmare and all…" I trail off. I shiver remembering once again, and he pulls me even closer

"Go back to sleep," he moves my damp hair out of the way and kisses my cheek. "I'll be here to protect you."

"Ok," I smile and close my eyes. Soon, I begin to drift off. "Dee, don't let him bite me." I think I mutter, but I'm not sure.

"I won't let anyone bite you," I think I hear Derek say. "Never." He sounds so far away, and his lips on my nose then my chin feel so unreal, I know I'm dreaming, and I'm content with that.

**How was this for a chapter? I hope to write chapters this long for the rest of the story. Question: would you like me to switch between Derek and Sky point of view, or do you prefer I stick to one point of view? Or maybe post all chapters twice using Derek and Sky's point of view separately? Let me know what you think, I can't continue without some input! **


	7. Stood Up

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf**

Chapter 6: Stood Up

_Sky_

I come out of the shower, and Derek is still asleep in my bed with his mouth slightly open. Leaning on the door frame of the bathroom door, I stare at Derek sleeping peacefully. His face is uncharacteristically relaxed as the worry lines around his eyes and his always frowning bushy eyebrows are smooth. I often tell Derek he'll get gray hairs before his twenties; he usually frowns at me proving my point that he doesn't smile or laugh like he used to. After much staring, I sigh silently and open my closet to find the clothes for the day. In the end, I settle for tight, maroon, skinny jeans, a gray, short, sleeved shirt, and combat boots. Once again, I don't even bother with my hair and let it fall down on its natural waves. After applying some mascara and ChapStick, I'm ready for school with ten minutes to spare before my alarm sounds. Oh yeah! I don't know why I bother putting an alarm since it seems I have my own internal alarm. So I pick up my iPhone and turn off the alarm.

As I gather my textbooks and homework into my bag, I hear Aunt Julie banging on Derek's door at the end of the hall. I turn to Derek still sprawled on my bed clutching my pillow tightly in his arms. It amazes me how throughout my morning routine he didn't wake up. Not even when I started singing in the shower, and I sing horribly. I giggle and poke my head out the door.

"Derek Hale!" Aunt Julie hisses angrily. "Must you always make my life miserable? Get up now, or you'll be late!"

"Pst!" I call out to Aunt Julie, and she turns to face me. "He's in here. I'll make sure he gets up."

"Thank you honey," she says as she walks toward me with a grateful smile. "I need to help Sarah with Tyler. Poor baby has a tummy ache."

"Awh. You'll make him feel better Aunt Julie." I smile reassuringly and meaning it. Aunt Julie is the best nurse in the world, and she loves her job at the hospital. She pinches my cheek lovingly as she passes me.

Once I close the door, I grin and run to the bed. "Dee!" I shout as I jump on the bed. "Derek! Rise and shine sleeping beauty!" I giggle as he just rolls over despite the earthquake I'm causing on the bed. I stop jumping after a while and climb off the bed considering my next course of action. I decide to pull on his ankles, but he's too heavy, and I don't even stir him.

"Derek!" I let go of his ankles and put my hands on my hips. "Get up now!"

"Five more minutes," he mutters covering his head with the pillow.

I narrow my eyes at him. "Shit is getting real." I mutter climbing on top of him and remove the pillow effortlessly. "You asked for it Derek Hale." Grabbing a strand of my long hair, I lean forward and try to control my giggles as I tickle his nose. He swats my hair away as if I were a fly.

"Derek," I taunt as I keep tickling him. "Get up. Get up. Get up."

"Jesus," he grabs my hand before I tickle his nose again with my hair. "I'm getting up. I'm getting up. Quit your nagging, Sky."

He turns over without knocking me off him. It is then that I realize just how close we are. My face is inches from his, and I am straddling him. For a while, neither of us moves, and he doesn't say anything as he frowns at me like he did yesterday as if he doesn't recognize me. Suddenly, he brings his hand up to my face and his thumb touches my lower lip.

"What happened to your lip?" He whispers referring to my cut up and bruised lip.

"Um, bit it last night." I say trying not to hyperventilate because his thumb is still on my lip. After a while, I blush and finally climb off him. "So, um, Aunt Julie wants us down for breakfast soon." I tell him as I grab my bag and leave the room before I jump his bones.

God, I'm so perverted for a thirteen year old. Shaking my head and running my own thumb over my lips still feeling Derek's touch, I race down the stairs. I look up when I reach the foot of the stairs and the front doors open revealing Uncle Peter and Adam with someone I wasn't sure I would see after last night. Dropping my bag on the stairs and without another thought of what I'm doing, I race to the door and wrap my arms around Jesse and squeeze him tightly.

"Oh my God," I whisper feeling relief washing over me. "You're alive. I'm so happy."

"Who are you and what have you done to Sky?" Jesse gasps as he stands stiffly not knowing what to do as he is shocked that I, Skylar Emilia Hale, just hugged him. He soon recovers and places his arms around me giving me one gentle squeeze.

"Did it work?" I ask him not letting go.

"Yeah," Jesse snorts, and I can feel his arrogant grin. "Want to see?"

I pull back and nod unsure of what I will find. Jesse turns sideways and pulls up his shirt revealing his smooth left side. No bite mark. It worked. Jesse is a werewolf. Looking up at him, I can't help the smile that creeps into my face. Mostly, I'm happy that Jesse is alive because no matter how mean he is too me, and how much I dislike him, he is still my family.

"I'm happy for you," I tell Jesse and mean it. I know how much he wanted the bite since we were kids. I could see how he watched Derek, Laura, Chase, and Sophie with envy as they showed their supernatural strength.

"Thanks," Jesse blushes. He actually blushes.

"I'll make you some hot cocoa before I go to school," I tell him as we walk together towards the stairs. I bend down to pick up my bag as he climbs the first steps. "I won't spit on it this time, girl scout promise."

Jesse chuckles and shudders as he remembers the time I spit on his cocoa. Last year on Christmas after he gave me a dead squirrel as a gift, I decided to make him pay for it. Since I have taken the habit of making hot cocoa for everyone during Christmas, no one thought I would do something mischievous. I didn't tell Jesse I had spit on his cup until after he drank the whole thing. Since he had vomited all over Sophie, I had to pay the consequences of my very amusing joke. Uncle Peter prohibited me from opening the rest of my Christmas presents until New Years despite the fact that Derek and I had won the competition of finding the perfect tree, and the prize is to open our gifts before everyone else.

"I don't know if I can trust you since you have never been a girl scout," he says leaning on the banister.

"You have trust issues," I roll my eyes and turn around to leave. I'm not going to force him to drink my cocoa since I did sort of traumatize him.

"I'll take it," he shouts to me as I make my way to the kitchen. "I trust you won't spit on it!"

"Cross my heart," I shout back. I turn to Uncle Peter and Adam still standing by the door. They had watched my exchange with Jesse in silence. "What?" I ask them as they simply stare at me like they don't know me and a grin on their faces. What is up with those looks?

"Nothing," Uncle Peter shrugs following me into the kitchen.

Aunt Julie is busy making breakfast, and Laura is sitting in the kitchen island eating bacon and eggs. Andre is playing on his PSP completely ignoring his bowl of cereal. On my way to the stove, I smack him on the back of the head. He doesn't even look up from his game. I roll my eyes and kiss baby Dylan, who is sitting in his high chair playing with his cheerios. Sarah is sitting with Dylan's, sick, twin brother Tyler.

"How's he feeling?" I ask Sarah.

"Much better," she replies as she looks up at me with bags under her eyes.

Poor Sarah has to deal with the twins all by herself since the jackass of her ex-boyfriend is, well, a jackass. It seems all the Hale women are doomed to being left by their husbands. Well, Aunt Julie's husband, the first Alpha, had no choice as he had been killed by the hunters when he bit a kid. Of course the kid had asked for the bite. In the end, the hunters killed Uncle Andre and the kid both. But Aunt Grace's husband, Paul, left town after Uncle Andre's death. Paul got afraid of the hunters as he was a werewolf himself. Aunt Grace told him to leave because she wasn't leaving her family. I think that's why Laura doesn't really commit to one boy. That doesn't make her slut because she doesn't sleep with them, but she doesn't stay with one either.

I kiss baby Tyler on the head and move on. Opening the cupboard above the stove, I pull down a small pot. Derek comes in then wearing a gray, v neck shirt, black pants, and wet hair. I swallow loudly when I see how good he looks and return to rummaging through the spices for the chocolate. He greets everyone with a 'good morning,' and serves himself a plate of bacon. I grimace at the sight of him eating so much grease and, of course, meat.

"Want some?" He taunts passing a piece of bacon in front of me as I grab the milk cartoon from the table.

"No," I smack his hand away from my face. I turn back to the stove and pour down the milk and chocolate bar.

Derek comes over and wraps his hand around my waist and whispers in my ear. "Come on," he tickles my skin, and I almost pass out. "You know you want some." He bites down on the crunchy bacon and chews right in my ear. My breath hitches when he blows right on my earlobe tickling my nose with his smell of mint and bacon.

"Son of a bitch!" I yell when I accidently touch my hand on the warm stove. Derek steps back startled as I jump up and down grabbing my hand. "Fuck me!"

"Sky!" Sarah chastises at my expletives as Derek and Aunt Julie rush over to me. Laura and Andre are trying hard to hide their giggles but failing miserably. I turn to briefly glare at them.

"Let me see," Derek says grabbing my hand. "It's not that bad! You cry-"

"Shut the fuck up!" I shout. "It's bad for those of us with no fucking werewolf healing! Fuck!" I look down at my pinkish palm.

"All right," Uncle Peter chuckles as he joins the circle around me. "Enough with the expletives. Let's take care of that hand. It's only a first degree burn. Thank God."

"I got it," Derek says taking my hand from Uncle Peter. "It was my fault distracting her and all."

Uncle Peter nods going over to look for the first aid kit. Derek pulls me over to the sink where he opens the faucet and makes sure the water is cool before running my hand under the water.

"Ouch! This hurts like a motherf-"

"Sky," Derek chuckles cutting me off as he keeps me still. "Don't be such a cry baby. You have felt worst pain."

"True," I mumble and realize that the burn doesn't hurt as much. "Maybe I just want to make you feel bad since this is your fault."

"My fault?"

"You said it was your fault. Remember?" I grin at him. "Ouchie! Uncle Peter, Dee is so mean to me! He made me get a booboo!" I whine in a childish voice.

Derek rolls his eyes as I giggle like crazy. For ten minutes, Derek stands closely behind me as he keeps my hand under the water. For ten minutes, I become deliciously intoxicated with Derek's cologne. All too soon, Uncle Peter turns the faucet off and pulls my hand from Derek's grasp and wraps it with gauze.

"All set baby girl," Uncle Peter says with a smile as he nods satisfied at his work. It seems he woke up today feeling overly fatherly as he too decides to fix me breakfast while I finish Jesse's hot cocoa and take it up to his room.

I knock softly on his door with my bad hand and wince a little. He doesn't answer, so I just walk in and find him face down on his bed still wearing his jeans and bloodied shirt. I smile and set the drink on his bedside table.

"I spit on it," I whisper. "Don't drink it." I laugh. "Just kidding. Goodnight Jesse."

Uncle Adam and Aunt Grace stand on the doorway watching me. "He's such a good kid." Aunt Grace says. "I'm proud of how brave he's been. Julie sure has raised them well despite the circumstances."

"I agree," Uncle Adam nods. "His dad would be proud of him."

"Yup," I say awkwardly. "Well, I gotta go to school. Bye."

I leave the room before I start to cry. The Hales have treated me like I was truly born a Hale. Uncle Peter treats me like I'm his daughter more so than Uncle Adam. Both of my aunts are like mothers to me, but in reality they are not. None of the Hales are related to me in any way except legally. Jesse and all the children in this household are Hales except for me. I am a stray soul who has lost both parents and has no other relatives. I sniff and wipe a stray tear as I make my way downstairs again.

"Are you ok?" Uncle Peter asks as he sets down my bowl of cereal.

"Yeah," I give him a weak smile. Then I think better of it. I should tell him my decision. He'd want to know. "Actually no. Can we talk?"

He frowns a little then nods. I push my bowl aside and follow him out. I can feel everyone's eyes on us especially Derek's. His eyebrows almost meet in the middle as he frowns. Uncle Peter leads me out into the hallway and to Uncle Adam's empty studio. The entire house is quiet as Chase, Sophie, Jesse, Aunt Grace and Aunt Adam sleep off their torture of the night before.

"What is it?" Uncle Peter asks immediately as he closes the door behind us. "Are you all right? Do you feel like you're being followed again?"

"No," I answer immediately and wonder if I should tell him about the stranger outside Dr. Deaton's clinic but quickly decide against it. The last thing I want is Uncle Peter locking me up in my room or in the china cabinet as the most delicate crystal figurine Aunt Grace collects. "No. I just have been thinking…"

"You want to study abroad," he smiles and claps his hands together. "I knew you would come around! I still have the flyers and application to that school in Paris."

"Uncle Peter," I chuckle and shake my head.

Two years ago, Uncle Peter nagged me to no end about going to France and pursue my piano career at Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris. I had put him off telling him I had to perfect my French first. Now I'm fluent, but he doesn't know it. I make sure to fail a couple of tests at school on purpose to make sure he doesn't ship me off. I can never understand why he wants me to go so bad. Aunt Grace says it's because I have so much talent, and the school will help me reach my full potential since she can't help me get there here. However, I can't leave my family or Derek. I know Uncle Peter hasn't completely lost hope that I will one day accept to go, but today isn't that day.

"No. It's not that. I just think that maybe," I look down at my shoes. "I don't want the bite."

Silence settles between us, and I get the feeling that I have disappointed him. But how do I explain that I'm afraid of losing control of myself? How do I explain that if I get the bite, I won't be Sky? I don't know what I'll be and that scares me. What will I do if he doesn't understand and forces me to get the bite?

"I won't force you," he says as if reading my mind. "You don't want the bite," I look up at him, and he gives me a reassuring smile. "You don't have to get it."

"But I thought," I shrug unsure of what I thought anymore.

"Well whatever you thought is wrong," he chuckles. "Sky, if you feel like you have to get the bite to be a Hale, you're wrong. Andre doesn't want the bite either."

"He doesn't?" I frown. "But he's training along with us."

"Julie wants him to learn to defend himself, and our training sessions, besides testing for strength, teach you how to get out of a situation should you find yourself in one. The hunters are still in town, and they have their eyes set upon us." His jaw clenches. "They are waiting for us to make a false move. Teaching you kids how to defend yourselves gives us comfort. The bite is not necessary."

I nod in understanding. I have never stumbled upon the hunters, and I hope I never do because they are scary. They know what we are, or what part of the Hales are, and they never hesitate to kill one of us should we do something that goes against their 'code' whatever that means.

"You'll still train with Adam and Andre though." Uncle Peter says throwing his arm around me. "I will feel better knowing you still practice your fighting techniques."

"Ok," I smile and wrap my arms around my beloved uncle and father figure. "Thank you, Uncle Peter."

He chuckles and kisses the top of my head. "No need to thank me baby girl. I would never force you into doing anything you don't want to do."

"I know," I smile.

"All right, you'll be late for school with all your shenanigans."

By the time we come out of Uncle Adam's studio, Aunt Julie has left for work taking Andre with her. Laura leaves next since she has to pick up Libby and Stephanie. Sarah has finally managed to put Tyler to sleep, and Dylan is much more quiet and calm, so she's able to go back to bed. In the end, I realize Derek is the only one left to leave. He's still sitting on the stairs twirling his keys around.

"Uncle Peter, it seems my ride has left me," I giggle eying Derek nervously silently begging he is not waiting for me or thinking about taking me to school. Oh Aunt Julie, why didn't you wait for me? "Will you-"

"I'll do it," Derek gets up from the stairs pulling his bag and mine along. Yup. He was waiting for me.

"Thanks Derek." Uncle Peter pulls out his wallet. "Since you didn't get to make lunch…"

Derek holds up a brown bag. "I made her lunch. Toasted bread with strawberry marmalade, celery, green apple sliced into five pieces, bottle of water, and skittles. Did I get it right?" He hands me the bag, and I take it nodding shyly. He freaking knows what I make for lunch. Even how many times I slice the damn apple! What. The. Hell.

"Thanks," I mutter.

Uncle Peter waves goodbye from the porch as Derek opens the door to his car for me. I get in as I wave back. Damn. Damn it all to hell. I wish Uncle Peter would drive me to school. While I would usually jump excitedly at spending time with Derek, since things have been strained between us, the moments alone with him cause me indigestion plus more heartbreak.

"Don't forget to pay the jar!" Uncle Peter shouts as Derek pulls out of the driveway.

"Fuck," I whisper glad that we are away from Uncle Peter's super hearing. "All I have is the lint in my pockets. Fucking jar."

"I got it," Derek smiles as he keeps his eyes on the road. "I paid the jar last night, and this morning for your expletives after the burn."

"Um thanks, but it sort of defeats the purpose of the lesson it's trying to teach me." I mutter as I look out the window.

"So today you feel like being all moral and stuff," he chuckles. "Last night I had to practically buy your forgiveness."

I shrug remembering that I did in fact ask him to pay the jar in order for me to forgive him for the bruises. "I didn't think you would do it." And I didn't. I had been kidding. I hadn't really been mad at Derek for his outburst. Well a little, but I knew deep down he had done it because he cares for me. Maybe not in the same way I care for him, but he definitely cares for me.

"Well I did," he shrugs too. "Besides it's for a good cause."

I roll my eyes. The fucking jar is not only supposed to teach me stop cursing since I feed it my allowance leaving me poor, but the cursed jar is also supposed to keep the money I will use when I finally decide to go to that school in Paris. I see no point in either purpose of the jar because I won't stop cursing, and I won't go to that school. No one seems to listen though except Derek. He knows like I do that the jar is useless.

"So have you thought about tonight?" He asks out of nowhere leaving me a little confused. What's tonight?

"Oh!" I smack my forehead. "I forgot the movie night."

"I'm hurt," he touches his chest with his left hand. "You forgot about our date?"

If I had been drinking something, I would have done the most epic spit take in the history of spit takes like Academy Award worthy when Derek said the words 'our' and 'date.' I wasn't drinking at the moment, so instead I'm chocking on my own saliva. I cough as Derek glances worriedly at me, and I can see he's wondering whether to pull over and make sure I'm not dying. I finally calm down and clear my throat trying to act cool like I didn't just make a total fool out of myself.

"Um yeah, sure." I clear my throat again. "Let's do the movie night." I almost said the word date, but I figured that wouldn't go well with Derek. I can only assume he made a slip when he called it 'our date.'

"Cool," he grins pulling up at the middle school. "Six sounds good? We can go eat something before the movie."

"Ok," I grin back. "Thanks for the ride. See you later!" I get off the car before I begin to dance like a freaking idiot.

"Sky!" I turn at the sound of my name.

"Hey Josh," I grin as the boy races up to me. "Running late too I see."

"Yeah," he grimaces. "I overslept since I was up all night studying for that anatomy test. Oh God, if I fail my mom is sending me to military school."

"You won't fail," I punch him lightly in the arm.

"Hey, any chance I can cheat off of you?" He wiggles his eyebrows at me as he throws his arm around me. "I'll give you my lunch."

I giggle. "That depends, is there any meat in your-" I stop abruptly as I remember that I left my lunch in Derek's car. I turn around and come face to chest with Derek.

"You forgot this," Derek says stiffly as he hands me the bag and glares at Josh's arm still around me.

"Thanks Derek," I mumble not moving out of Josh's embrace. Why should I? Josh is my best friend. Granted the boy has made moves on me almost kissing me Friday night, but I love Josh. Like a friend. "This is, um, Josh. Josh this is my cousin Derek."

"Oh," Josh removes his hand from my arm and extends his hand out to Derek. "Nice to meet you bro."

Derek stares at Josh's hand then turns around without another word and gets into his car. I glare after him puzzling over his rudeness. What had poor Josh done to him? I turn to Josh who is staring dumbly at Derek's speeding car his hand still extended out. Oh man this could not have gone any worst. Actually it could have. Derek, being his overbearingly overprotective self, could have punched or ripped Josh's arm off.

"I'm so sorry about that," I tell Josh as I glare in the direction Derek disappeared. "He's just in a hurry to get to school."

"Huh uh," Josh laughs nervously. "I think he wanted to rip my arm off."

I grimace. "No he didn't. Now come on we have that stupid test to take."

By the time I get to French at the end of the day, I am bouncing off the walls. The date but not date with Derek is getting closer, and I'm just freaking out wondering what I'm going to wear tonight. Should I wear a dress? A skirt? Should I wear heels?

"Sky," Monsieur Pitts barks at me. "Répondez la question s'il vous plait!"

Answer the question? What question? Oh shit. I have been tuning out. Shit. "Répétez la question s'il vous plait Monsieur?" I ask rather shyly.

My teacher sighs exasperated but repeats the question anyway. "Est-ce que tu sais jouer d'un instrument?"

Do I play an instrument? Well, do I? I can't remember. Oh double shit. My brain has gone all mushy with the thought of Derek and our not date tonight. How do I respond? Suddenly, I can't speak French anymore. Everything has gone out the window. A couple of my classmates begin to giggle at my stupidity as I mumble something incoherently. I probably just said I love Derek or that I want a purple elephant.

"Oui, elle sait jouer de piano. Moi, je sais jouer de saxophone." Andre steps in earning a glare from Monsieur Pitts.

"Merci, Andre," the teacher grumbles moving on to teach us about famous French musicians.

I turn to Andre and whisper a thank you. He nods trying to hide his amusement that I got sort of chastised. In order to avoid more embarrassment, I decide to pay attention no matter how monotonous the voice of the Pitts is. Finally as the Pitts gets into the grammar section of the _Les Beaux Arts_ chapter, the bell rings saving me from learning about the infinitive or something or other.

"Hey," Andre says as he waits for me to throw my crap into my bag. "What gives? Miss goody two shoes wasn't paying attention today."

"I gave miss goody two shoes a vacation," I say rolling my eyes and throwing my bag over my shoulder. "You should give your mister goody two shoes a vacation every once in a while too." I tease him.

"Never," he snorts. "I won't get into law school if I slack off!"

I roll my eyes again. "Andre you are in eighth grade. Law school probably doesn't give a shit what you do until you reach high school."

He shrugs and doesn't mention my expletive like most of my family does. One of the many things I love about Andre, he's so nice. He's like the nicest most proper person in the world, and he's incredibly smart. Uncle Adam says Andre will replace him once he retires from his law firm. I wholeheartedly agree.

"I can't take any chances," he says as we make our way to the parking lot where Aunt Grace will pick us up. "Not if I want to be like my dad and Uncle Adam one day. I will be as great as them." His chest puffs out proudly, and I smile fondly at him interlacing my hand through his arm.

"Cool," I nod. "I will make sure to call you when I'm being convicted of killing someone with my sailor mouth."

"The only one you'll kill will be Uncle Peter," Andre laughs. "He's the one who looks just about to get a heart attack whenever you curse."

"You all call them curses," I wave my hand in the air dismissively. "I call them sentence enhancers."

Andre shakes his head as he laughs, and we wait for our ride. Aunt Grace drops me off at Dr. Deaton's office right after school. Andre has to go home and change to go to soccer practice. Dr. Deaton makes me walk Dexter again. I bend down to pick up Dexter's poop with a plastic bag and when I look up I see the stranger from yesterday looking up at the tallest tree in the park. Out of curiosity, I tug Dexter along as I make my way to the stranger.

"Hi," I greet the man as I look up. "What are you doing?"

"Hello sweetheart," the man greets me with a smile briefly looking down at me. "Walking Dexter again are we?"

"Yup," I reply pointing at the tiny bird nest I finally identified. "Is that what you're looking at?"

"Oh yes," the man shakes his head. "Do you hear that?"

I am about to say no when I hear a weak and pained chirping above. "Yes, it sounds like it's dying."

"That's what I thought too." The man looks at me frowning as if considering something. "Would you like to help?"

"Of course," I nod as my love for helping animals kicks in. "How? Want me to get Dr. Deaton out here?"

"I think we can handle it." He says pointing up. "We just need to bring the nest down then we can take it to your boss."

"Cool beans," I tie Dexter's leash around the foot of a nearby bench. "I can climb that tree, piece of cake."

"Oh no," the man shakes his head. "I wouldn't want you to get hurt sweetheart. That tree is too tall."

I frown. "Why do you keep calling me sweetheart?"

For some reason, I can hear affection in his voice, and it sort of creeps me out that a man I don't even know feels any sort of emotion. Holy hell, I'm talking to a stranger even though I've been warned not to. Then again, this man is not really a stranger if I have seen him before, right?

"Because I don't know your name," he shrugs. "I'm Dante." He extends his hand out.

"Sky," I take his hand briefly and then turn up to look at the nest. "So how are we going to get it down if I don't climb up there?"

"I can lift you up. If you don't mind me touching you of course."

I frown once again. What the fuck? This man is seriously creeping me out. I should just grab Dexter and find Dr. Deaton. But I can't leave that poor birdy to die. Ok, so how do you feel about a stranger touching you Sky? _He could be a rapist for all you fucking know! _I recall Derek's words, and I feel panic settle in the pit of my stomach. This man could be a rapist. And while I keep saying that I am capable of taking down anyone who tries to hurt me, I am really not sure. The only people I have taken down are my fifteen year old, arrogant, and annoying cousin Jesse and his sweet, thirteen year old brother Andre. I have never taken down anyone as big as Derek or Uncle Adam or this man.

"Another plan then," the man, Dante, says when he sees my hesitation. "I could call my buddies at the fire department to come help us though by the time they get here, it could be too late. I could climb it, but," he chuckles. "I'm not as young as I used to be."

And he's right. He has several gray hairs that I didn't notice yesterday in his dark hair. His brown eyes are trimmed by aging lines. Of course, his body looks sturdy, but I could be mistaken.

"Okay," I look over him again. "But I might be too hea-"

He laughs. "I doubt it sweetheart. You like you weigh less than a feather." His brown eyes soften and get all sad, and for some weird reason, it tugs at my heart.

"All right," I step closer to him. "But just so you know, I know martial arts, and I have a good set of lungs perfect for screaming."

"I'll keep that in mind sweetheart," he chuckles as he slips his hands under my armpits and lifts me up.

I can't help the sense of déjà vu that creeps into me as Dante lifts me up. However I don't think about that feeling because I need to get the bird nest down. The nest is still too high up, and I can't reach it. He seems to think the same because his hands move down to my hips as he raises me up higher. Seconds later, I hold the nest gently in my hands.

"Got it!" I shout delighted.

Dante sets me down, and we both look into the nest. Inside are three baby ruby-throated hummingbirds. They look so fragile and like they are about to die. They make so little noise and almost no movement. It tugs at my heart to see these poor creatures in pain. They probably lost their mother. I could identify with that.

"Let's take them to Dr. Deaton," I hand Dante the nest as I grab Dexter's leash. "He'll bring them back to health in no time!"

Together, Dante and I enter the clinic where Dr. Deaton is talking to a woman about the medications for her sick pet. I tell Dante to set the nest on the counter as I take Dexter back to his cage. When I come out, Dr. Deaton is already treating the hummingbirds giving them something with a small syringe. I get closer to the men and lean forward to watch the tiny and beautiful baby birds.

"It's a good thing you two rescued them," Dr. Deaton says as he tends to the other birdies. "They wouldn't have lasted much longer who knows how long they have been out there without a mother."

"Poor babies," I whisper. "You've lost your mommy? So did I, but it's all going to be ok."

Dante inhales sharply at my words, and I look at him out of the corner of my eye. I find that he's watching me, and when I catch him, he quickly looks away. I straighten up and look down at my phone. "Dr. Deaton I need to go early today."

"Ok Sky," he nods as he smiles and continues to tend to the birds. "I'll take good care of them."

"I know," I turn to Dante. "Pleased to meet you sir and it has been a pleasure to do my good deed of the day with you."

He laughs at my formality. "The pleasure has all been mine, Sky. Until we meet again."

"Um sure," I mutter as the man's brown eyes once again fill with sadness or some other emotion I have no idea what it is. "Bye!" I shout to both men as I race out the door. I have to get ready for my not date.

When I get home, I ask Aunt Julie if Derek is home. She says he isn't yet, so I hurry up and go take a shower as it is already five thirty, and he could be home any minute. I finally settle for a long sleeved, white sweater dress with gray polka dots. The dress is cute and stops a little above my knees. I opt for flat gray calf boots, and since this time I don't have much time left, I let my hair down naturally. I don't put on make-up as it's already six ten. I walk out of my room and knock on Derek's door. I receive no answer.

"He's not back yet," Jesse says suddenly scaring me shitless.

"Fuck me! You scared me!" I shake my head at him. "Are you taking advantage of your superpowers now?"

"Might as well," he shrugs. "But yeah he's not back."

"Ok," I shrug. "I'll just wait for him."

"Sky?" Uncle Peter knocks on my door. I wipe my nose with the back of my sleeve and rise from my bed.

"Yeah?" I sniff as I open the door and let Uncle Peter in.

"Are you ok?" His face falls when he sees my red nose and puffy eyes.

I am not ok. It's already seven thirty and Derek has not showed up. He stood me up. He's probably with that whore doing stuff that I don't even want to think about but have been thinking for the past hour and a half. I should have known he was going to do this to me. Why would he waste his time with me when he could be with her? I choke on a sob as I think of how pathetic I am getting all excited about my not date with Derek, and it was never meant to happen.

Uncle Peter shakes his head as he just wraps his arms around me letting me hiccup and sob into his shirt. Without letting go of me, he shuts the door and sits on the bed pulling me down next to him. For a while, he strokes my hair and kisses my forehead as I just cry.

"Derek is in a shit load of trouble I promise you," Uncle Peter says suddenly.

"How do you know I'm crying because of him?" I ask through the sobs.

"I heard you asking for Derek," he replies with a shrug. "I was just guessing, but you have proved me right."

I grimace and sob mortified that I will get Derek in trouble. It's not his fault. What the fuck am I saying? He should get in trouble. He stood me up! I don't care that I am not worthy or enough for him. He shouldn't have led me on. He shouldn't have gotten my hopes up. Fuck it! I'm not going to advocate for him. Let Uncle Peter give him hell. I don't care.

"You know what will make you feel better?" Uncle Peter asks kissing my forehead again. "Ice cream."

"Do we have butter pecan?" I rub my eyes with my sleeve suddenly excited about ice cream. As cliché as it sounds, ice cream is the best medicine for heartbreak, I suppose.

"No but we can go to the store." He gets up and extends his hand out to me.

"Ok," I smile gratefully at him for trying to cheer me up. I take his hand.

I hold my stomach as I laugh hysterically. Uncle Peter has got to be the most evil person in the world. We had shown up at the store only to find it is out of butter pecan ice cream. When Uncle Peter asked the cashier if maybe they had some in storage, the man answered rather rudely that no. Uncle Peter and I went back to the ice cream isle where he poked holes in all of the ice cream boxes with his claws. The cashier then had to clean up the mess in the refrigerator. Revenge is so sweet.

"You are terrible," I say through the laughter.

"No one talks to me like that," he shrugs and smiles delighted. "Let's go to another store and poke more holes into the ice cream boxes."

"You're such a child," I giggle. "But ok. Let's do this!"

I am feeling mischievous tonight as if vandalizing property is somehow getting back at Derek for standing me up. I'm being childish, petty and stupid because I _am_ childish, petty and stupid. Those are the reasons why Derek doesn't consider me worthy of his time.

Just as I am about to get in the car, someone calls my name. I look across the street to the bowling alley, and I see Josh waving furiously at me. He waits for the car to pass and then jogs over to Uncle Peter and me.

"Hey," I greet him wondering if I look like shit.

"Hey Sky," he smiles and his eyes go wide when he looks over me. I guess I don't look like total shit.

"Um, Josh this is my Uncle Peter," I motion to Uncle Peter who is leaning on the hood of the car gazing amused at us. "Uncle Peter," I narrow my eyes at him. "This is Josh."

"So this is the famous Josh," Uncle Peter walks over to Josh and shakes his hand. "Pleased to meet you son."

"Likewise sir," Josh blushes at Uncle Peter's words.

Oh man, can this get any worse? Yes, yes it could. Josh could be looking at me like he is now. With a lovesick and admiring look that twists my stomach and makes me want to cry. Why can't I like him? Why must I love a guy that has hurt me more than anyone in the world?

"Hey, so the swim team and I are about to hang out at the bowling alley. If you are not doing anything and your uncle permits it, would you like to, um, join me, I mean us?" He looks down at his shoes then up at me through his eyelashes.

"Um," I pull on the sleeves of my sweaters dress awkwardly. "The swim team? As in like guys?"

"Oh there are girls too of course," he explains hastily. "And the coach is my friend's dad so we won't be alone." He says the last bit to Uncle Peter.

"Do you want to Sky?" Uncle Peter asks me as he leans against the car.

Do I? Do I want to spend all night crying in my room and eating ice cream? Honestly, at this point that is exactly what I'll be doing for rest of my life if I push guys like Josh away in the hopes that Derek will ever feel something for me. And right now it looks like that is never going to happen. I am wasting my life hurting after someone who will never, ever, ever in a million years pay attention to me.

"Yes," I turn to Uncle Peter. "Can I?"

"Go ahead honey," Uncle Peter pulls out his wallet.

"Oh no sir," Josh shakes his head at Uncle Peter. "This is all on me."

"Very generous of you, Josh," Uncle Peter gives me a grin and wiggles his eyebrows at me. "I like him Sky. He's a keeper."

"Uncle Peter," I groan.

"All right, I'm out. Have fun but not too much fun. Call me when you need a ride back."

"My mom and I will take her home," Josh interrupts practically jumping up and down in happiness.

"Ok," Uncle Peter smiles at Josh. "You need to keep him." He whispers to me.

"Hush," I whisper back, but I giggle anyway. "Go away."

"Have fun honey," he shouts as Josh and I make our way to the bowling alley.

Josh, being such a sweet gentleman, opens the door for me. Inside is his swim team buddies and like he promised there are girls too. Mostly I asked if there were going to be girls because I didn't want to feel awkward surrounded by guys. As Josh goes to pay for me and him, I walk over to Angelique, who is in my French class, and we strike up a conversation. By the time Josh joins me again, I am laughing and talking confidently to the entire team.

"So, um, you look really pretty." Josh says as he hands me the shoes.

"Oh thank you," I blush.

"Then again you always look pretty," he continues blushing as well.

"Thanks Josh," I smile and grab his hand pulling him towards the lane. "But flattery is not going to stop me from mercilessly crushing you!" I tease giggling.

"Oh yeah?" He intertwines our fingers and follows me closely. "We will see about that!"

At the end of the night, I do end up crushing Josh mercilessly. The team split up slowly as his parents came pick them up soon leaving Josh and me alone. I am still jumping up and down happily because I honestly had a great time. It definitely beat the hell out of staying home crying over Derek. Wait, Derek? Derek who? I giggle as Josh and I walk hand in hand out of the closing bowling alley. Josh has the biggest smile on his face. I have never seen him so happy, and he looks really handsome. God, he is handsome. I really hope I end up falling for him. I desperately want to.

"Did you have fun?" He asks as we sit on a bench out front waiting for his mom.

"Hell yes," I give him one of my brightest and happiest smile. "Did you have fun?"

"Hell yes," he imitates my enthusiasm. "I'm so glad you accepted to stay."

"Me too," I say and mean it. "Thanks for inviting me."

"No problem. As you already know, I have the biggest crush on you. And well, after the fiasco on Friday, I didn't know whether things between us would go beyond friendship. Tonight gives me the hope that maybe things will." He finishes with a blush.

"Confident aren't we?" I giggle and turn to him. "I'd like that." I smile.

Damn. My cheeks are going to feel stiff as hell tomorrow with all the smiling and laughing I'm doing, but it'll be worth it. This was better than crying my eyes out, getting a red nose like Rudolph, getting boogers all over my sweater, and getting fat on all the ice cream. He grins happily. We don't say anything for a while. Our hands are still interlaced, and I like the warmth and the feeling of his smooth skin on me.

"May I kiss you?" He asks suddenly and out of the blue that my head snaps up so fast, I see blurry.

Oh shit. May he? Do I want him to? Things are simpler like this and kissing him might just make things more awkward. I turn to look into his pretty hazel-brown eyes. His freckled face is hopeful as he looks at me bite my lip in consideration. Do I want him to kiss me?


	8. Carnations

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf**

Chapter 7: Carnations

_Derek_

I don't even bother turning off the car's engine as I pull up at the house. On my haste to get out, I almost break my car door followed by almost ripping the house door of its hinges. My heart beats wildly in my chest like a hummingbird begging for release as I race through the foyer ignoring the complaints I get from Sarah that I'll wake up the twins. I don't care at the moment; I'm in deep shit. Because I'm nervous, I knock on her door gently. I usually don't do so opting to just walk in as I please because I know it pisses her off. I love messing with her because her bright blue eyes get bigger and her cheeks get this beautiful blush. I don't do that tonight though. Tonight, I without a doubt have broken her heart and earned a punch to my manhood.

"Sky?" I knock softly. "I'm sorry. I-I, um, we can still go. It's only eight twenty." I say looking at the clock on my phone and silently praying she's not too pissed off. "Sky, please?"

Since she doesn't answer, I open the door wondering if maybe she has gone to bed or something. Her room is dark and empty. Clothes lay around covering every surface as if a tornado has hit it. It strikes me as odd since Sky, a goody two shoes despite her cursing mouth, is very organized and clean. I shut the door silently though I don't know why since she's not in her room. Maybe because I don't want to alert the house of my assholeness. I had lost track of time as I usually do when I'm with _her_ which often causes arguments with my dad about my carelessness of roaming around town when the hunters are still on our asses. But did I have to pick tonight of all nights to be home two hours after I'm supposed to?

I head in the direction of my sister's room thinking that's where Sky might be. Laura is Sky's biggest confidant. Sophie and Sarah act as Sky's big sisters too, but Laura does so more since the moment Sky came to our lives. Usually when I make Sky cry or upset with my assholeness, she runs to Laura knowing I don't dare cross my sister. Laura is the mommy lioness protecting her cubs with teeth and claws. Except Laura actually has teeth and claws, and she's not a lioness but a werewolf. Female werewolves are so temperamental I rather cross their paths as little as possible. However since tonight I'm desperate, I enter enemy territory unsure if I'll survive.

"Laura," I knock on her door gently. She doesn't open, so I bang loudly on her door. "Laura!"

"What?" She calls from behind me. "You're abusing my door." She shoves me aside as she goes into her room dropping her books on her bed. "Well? What do you want I have homework so hurry it up."

"Is Sky with you?" I ask stupidly knowing she is not, but I hope Laura elaborates. Of course she usually doesn't. Laura loves to irritate her little brother knowing if it comes down to a brawl, she kicks my ass as she's the eldest child of the Alpha and thus stronger than me.

"Obviously not," she snorts and looks ready to hang me by my toes as she glares furiously at me. Oh the house already knows what I've done. I'm lucky I'm not dead yet. Hell, for all I know an angry mob has already formed outside.

"Do you know where she is?" I sigh.

"No," she looks down at her calculus textbook and flips through it ending our conversation. "Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you." She adds as I make my way out of her room. "You have made her cry again. Do you enjoy making her cry?" My sister hisses angrily.

"No!" I shout back angry myself and run my hands through my hair. "I don't enjoy making her cry! I hate it! It makes me feel like a fucking failure with every tear that rolls down her cheeks! It rips me apart! I lost track of time all right? I make mistakes too."

"Your mistakes seem to be getting more frequent, Derek." Laura glares at me. "First you start blowing her off to go who knows where, you start missing her piano recitals, you yell at her for no damn reason and breathe down her neck, and now breaking promises. I heard her cry. You are a butt head." She shakes her head and returns to her textbook this time ending our conversation for sure.

I wish I could deny all of her accusations, but I can't because she is right, as always. I _have_ been acting like a butt head towards Sky. However, I don't like my faults being pointed out to me, so I make sure to slam her door loudly making the house shake violently. That earns me another shriek from Sarah followed by the twins' cries. Desperate to find where Sky has gone, I knock on Uncle Peter's room but no one answers. What is up with everyone being out of their rooms? Instead of wasting time knocking on all the doors, I decide to ask Aunt Julie or whoever is downstairs. I find Chase helping Andre with his homework in the living room while Jesse is typing up some paper next to them.

"Hey, have any of you seen Sky?"

"No," Andre responds not even looking up from his homework.

"Jesse?"

"I saw her earlier. She was knocking on your door, so I told her you weren't home yet. She sat on the stairs for an hour then went up to her room crying. Does that answer your question?" Jesse narrows his eyes at me then turns back to his homework. I frown a little at Jesse's newfound protectiveness of Sky. He usually doesn't get involved. They were bound to get along at some point, I guess.

"Yes, yes it does."

"She left with Uncle Peter a while ago," Chase sighs shaking his head though I don't know if he's shaking his head at me or his cousins. Chase has always been the most compassionate towards me whenever I make a mistake. He gets mad all right, but he is less vengeful about it. I thank him quietly and go sit on the stairs like Sky did and wait.

Biting my nails, I stare at the front door waiting for Uncle Peter and Sky to show up. Chase and the boys went up to their rooms a while ago Jesse kicking my shoe on his way up. I had growled at him, but he just laughed. I spit my chewed nail on the floor as the door opens, and I stand up expecting to see the tiny figure of my beloved Sky. I sit back down disappointed when I realize it's just my dad. I resume biting my nails and glaring at the damn door as if I can conjure Sky.

"What are you doing?" My dad asks a smile twitching on his lips as he looks at me then at the door.

"Oh you don't know?" I say aiming for nonchalance as I lean back on the steps. "I thought the news would have reached you, or maybe you missed the pitchforks and torches of the angry mob waiting to rip my entrails out."

His stifles a laugh. "Must have missed it," he sets his briefcase on a table by the stairs.

Dad rubs his eyes and looks older than his forty eight years. His usually dark hair is halfway covered with gray hair, and the laugh lines or maybe worry lines are prominent around his eyes and mouth. My old man is getting old. You'd think having a big pack would make him strong, but it seems to be making him weaker. I think he's still depressed over Mom's accident and having to take care of so many children plus his sisters. Being the Alpha is not easy, but my dad is the damn best. I will never be like him.

I shrug. "I stood Sky up."

"What do you mean?"

I explain how we were supposed to go to the movies two hours ago, but I got held up with something. Or someone, but I leave that part out. Just like I thought he would, Dad shakes his head and gives me a pat on the back feeling pity for me. He knows I'm in a shitload of trouble with the entire house, Uncle Peter, and Sky. I love that Sky is so protected and loved, so it doesn't bother me that everyone glares at me for making someone so sweet, gentle, innocent, and nice like Sky cry.

"Good luck my son," he chuckles as he gets up from next to me and goes to the kitchen to eat.

I sigh and stare up at the ceiling for I don't know how long. How could I do this to Sky? After I promised her I would never hurt her. I freaking promised her I would never hurt her! And I made my own silent vow to never let anyone harm her, and here I am breaking all those promises just like Laura said. If there is such a thing as an asshole award, it would definitely go to me. If Sky forgives me for tonight, I swear to all the deities up in heaven or wherever they are, that I will never again fail her. I will spend more time with my most favorite person in the world even if it means cutting off my time with Kate.

The door opens again interrupting my mind from going to obscene territory by just the mere thought of Kate. I stand up again as Uncle Peter shuts the door behind him. He looks up and sees me standing like an idiot at the bottom of the stairs. His eyes narrow as he crosses his arms. I swallow rather loudly knowing the man is ready to rip me apart for hurting his little girl. Honestly, I deserve it. But before Uncle Peter rips me apart, I need to know where Sky is. I thought she was with him.

"Where's Sky?"

"Out," he shrugs and doesn't elaborate. "Your car is still running by the way."

"Oh yeah," I shrug and stick my hands inside the pockets of my jeans. "I'm waiting for Sky. We have a movie night."

Uncle Peter stares at me in silence for a long time then bursts out laughing. He walks toward me, still chuckling, and motions me to get closer to him. I exhale loudly and brace myself for the lecture of a lifetime that will surely leave me feeling even worst about myself.

"Son," Uncle Peter controls his laughter. "I think that after two hours, your date has been canceled. Baby girl got tired of crying her eyes out and decided to go out and have fun with a very nice gentleman I cannot wait to make my son-in-law."

My body stiffens and my nostrils flare in fury. "Is it that Josh kid?"

"Yes. Woah there." He clasps my shoulder not letting me go. I need to go find this kid and rip his arms off then warn him about staying away from Sky. No one is going to hurt Sky. No one but me, right? I sigh and hear what Uncle Peter has to say next.

"You leave them alone, you hear me? Sky deserves to forget what you've done to her. Showing up two hours after the accorded time is not very chivalrous of you, Derek. Have we not taught you better? I am shocked that you would hurt a young lady like this. While I love you both to death, I don't appreciate you making my little girl cry. My little girl, Derek. Do it again, and I…" He shakes his head and exhales exasperated. "Just don't do it again, son. I just hate to see Sky hurt. Understood?"

"Yes sir," I hang my head in shame as Uncle Peter lets go off me.

"All right," he looks at his watch. "Is your dad home?"

"Over here," Dad calls from the kitchen. I groan mortified that he heard everything. Goddamn. "Nice speech brother."

"Thank you," Uncle Peter grins as we make our way to the kitchen. "I've always wanted to deliver that speech"

Dad laughs as he bites into his sandwich. Traitor, I think as I glare at my dad. "Maybe you should deliver that speech to Josh." I hiss.

Uncle Peter shrugs. "He seems nice. He's really smitten by Sky and who wouldn't right?" He looks meaningfully at me.

"Right," I mumble. No one is ever going to be good enough for Sky though. She's just too wonderful. I mean with her pretty blue eyes, smooth skin, dark wavy hair that feels like silk, curvaceous yet petite body… Woah. What am I doing? What am I thinking? She's Sky! My cousin.

"Derek, your car is still running. Gas doesn't pay for itself." Dad interrupts my obscene thoughts about little Sky. Well, she's not so little…

"Right." I rush out relieved to have a reason to get some fresh air and clear my mind.

Once I turn off the engine, I consider going out to find Sky and make sure she's ok. No. That's a bad idea. I might just end up dragging her home where no one can look at her or touch a single hair in her head. Jesus. What is happening to me? When did Sky become a crystal figurine Aunt Grace collects? Sky is a free, wild spirit that cannot be contained which is why I love her so much. She's so carefree unlike some of us.

I go back inside and find Dad and Uncle Peter making their way up the stairs.

"Goodnight son," Dad waves as he goes up leaving Uncle Peter leaning against the banister.

I resume my seat on the stairs, and Uncle Peter joins me. We sit in silence, and I continue to bite my nails and looking at the time. It's almost nine and this girl is not back yet. Maybe I should have gone looking for her. What if something has happened to her? What if her dad has kidnapped her? What if I never see her again? My right leg starts bouncing up and down, and I bite my nails until they are almost bleeding. Sky won't like that.

"Will you stop bouncing your leg?" Uncle Peter chuckles and shakes his head as he finally gets up. "She'll be here when her date is over."

"Aren't you worried?" I whisper angrily. "It's almost ten!" I say glancing at the time. "She could be injured or…"

"And I thought I was the overprotective one," he replies shaking his head again and climbing up to his room. "She's fine. Relax. If it makes you feel better, if she's not here by ten thirty, we will go looking for her. In the meantime, I'm going to shower."

I shake my own head as he shuts the door to his room. What is wrong with this family? Do they not realize the danger Sky could be in? Her father and the hunters could have gotten her! If any of them so much as touch her with a feather, I will rip them apart! I jump up when I hear the sound of a car at exactly ten thirty. A car door slams and some words are exchanged. Then the door opens and Sky enters after one last wave to whoever dropped her off. She shuts the door and leans back against the wood with a smitten grin on her lips. The lights of the house have been turned off long ago, so it's pitch black but not for me. I can see her every movement while she can't see me. I see her touch her lips and close her eyes as she keeps smiling like a fool. And like a fool she begins to twirl around in the foyer giggling quietly. And like that, I know what happened in her date.

"He kissed you!" I shout making her stop mid twirl causing her to trip over her feet and fall on her butt. "I will rip him to pieces!" I growl as I step towards her.

"What the fuck?" She hisses back quietly as she gets back on her feet. "You scared me asshole."

"He kissed you didn't he?" I ask standing right in front of her. She steps back folding her arms over her chest. "Answer me Skylar or I swear…"

"You have the biggest balls I have ever seen Derek Hale," she glares. "How dare you demand any sort of explanation when _I _should be the one demanding you explain yourself!" She keeps her voice low, but I can hear the fury in her voice.

"Just answer the damn question," I step towards her again. I clench my fists and my body stiffens just thinking of the boy with his lips on my Sky. No one touches her. No one deserves to.

She steps back tilting her chin up defiantly at me and sneers. "Go. Fuck. Yourself. With. Your. Baseball. Bat. How's that for an answer?"

"Answer the damn question!" I step towards her as she keeps going backwards and away from me. "Answer!"

"Yes! Yes he did! So what?" I have her against the wall, and her lip quivers as she tries to hold back the tears. "What are you going to do about it? Nothing, that's what. You know why? Because you have no fucking right to bitch at me when you stood me up dickhead! None of this would have happened if you weren't out there with your whore!" Her voice cracks at the end as a big tear leaks out of her left eye.

My heart breaks when I finally realize just how much she loves me. She loves me more than she should. She shouldn't love me. I am not worthy of her or anyone for that matter. My relationship with Kate is strictly sexual, and while I may be developing feelings for her, we won't go anywhere. Sky, on the other hand, deserves someone normal. She deserves someone who will love her with everything. I need to make her understand that.

"Sky," I whisper as I raise my hand to wipe her tear away. "I'm s-"

Her right knee makes contact with my groin successfully interrupting what I was about to say. With a grunt, I fall on my knees clutching my manhood.

_Sky_

"Why did you do it?" Uncle Peter leans forward with his elbows resting on his knees as he regards me with utter seriousness. I can see the vein in his neck pulsing. Oh he's pretty pissed.

I keep my head up as I stand in front of Uncle Peter and Adam as they demand to know why I have left Derek ball less. Well it started when I tried to keep my voice down, but Derek made it impossible as he was shouting right in my face. I didn't appreciate it especially after he started questioning me about my private life. Yeah, I kissed Josh. So what? I like him; he likes me. I see no problem. Derek is just being possessive and overprotective as are all werewolves. Still he has no right to demand to know everything I do when he screwed me over. If he doesn't want a nice boy kissing me, maybe he shouldn't miss our not dates. So yeah, I keened him in his balls because he disgusts me. Ok because I love him. But I wasn't about to let him get away with touching me or apologizing because I don't want to hear it. After I made him crumble to his knees, Uncle Peter and Adam raced down the stairs while the entire family watched from above. I heard Jesse chuckle quietly above when he saw Derek rolling on the floor clutching his groin.

"He deserved it," I say arching my left eyebrow delicately and impressively.

Uncle Peter sighs and shakes his head at me. "What am I going to do with you? You can't just punch him because he failed to uphold his promise."

"Huh, yes I can," I point to Derek who looks miserable sitting with an ice pack on his balls. "I just did."

"That's just not right, Sky." Uncle Adam says as he crosses his arms at me. "We teach you to defend yourself, so you get out of a sticky situation not so you can hit whoever pisses you off."

"Ok, why the f-heck is everyone yelling at me for?" I point at him again. "_He _started it. _He _did piss me off. _He _is an ass!"

Uncle Adam shakes his head like Uncle Peter and steps back letting my father figure take care of the problem. I cross my own arms as I look straight ahead making sure to keep my chin up.

"Apologize." Uncle Peter says as he leans back on the couch.

"Me?" My jaw hits the floor with a loud thud, at least in my head. "You have got to be fucking kidding me! I will not do such thing." I snort.

"First of all young lady," Uncle Peter stands up and points at me with his finger. The vein looks ready to burst while his face turns slightly red. "You do not curse at me. Second of all, you will do as I say. I actually want both of you to apologize to each other."

I look away from Uncle Peter and keep my arms crossed as I fight the hot tears from falling down my cheeks.

"Uncle Peter," Derek removes the ice pack from his groin and gets up from the couch wincing in pain as he does so. "She doesn't have to apologize. I did deserve it."

"No. We don't tolerate this sort of petty behavior." Uncle Peter says firmly and turns to me again. "I have put up with your cursing, but I will not put up with you injuring anyone outside of the controlled environment of your training sessions, understood? You will apologize to Derek, and you will be grounded for two weeks. No Dr. Deaton. No bike rides into town. You are confined to your room after school. Oh and give me your phone."

"Are you fucking…"

"Skylar Emilia Hale!" Uncle Peter growls. "Give me your phone and stop cursing at me, or I will wash your mouth with soap."

"Uncle Peter," Derek intercedes as I hesitate. "I think you're overreacting. I'm fine."

Uncle Peter doesn't budge as he keeps his hand outstretched waiting for my phone. I don't want Derek to intercede for me anyway, so, grudgingly, I hand over my phone still fighting hard the tears. I have never seen Uncle Peter so angry. And what's more, this whole situation is so unfair! Derek threatened me in the first place! But no one is going to pay attention to me. It doesn't even matter because I am just the vindictive and childish person in this quarrel.

"Now apologize," Uncle Peter says as he puts my beloved phone in his pocket.

I pause and swallow the knot in my throat. This shit is effed up. This is too unfair. I'm the one getting severely punished, and Derek just gets a slap on the wrist for standing me up. Boy, do I hate him right now. I just want to punch him repeatedly, but that will earn me more punishment. Instead, I begin to cry.

"I'm sorry," I sniff and hiccup.

Derek's face distorts in some emotion I can't place as he takes a step toward me. I don't want him touching me, so I back away from him. Biting my lip, I look away and pull on my sleeves wishing to just disappear from the planet.

"Apology accepted and unnecessary." He says quietly. "I'm sorry too."

I don't say anything to his apology and keep my eyes averted. I don't want anything to do with him. I just want to go up to my room and cry until I am dry like the Sahara dessert.

"Sky." Uncle Peter says menacingly. "Derek apologized."

I turn to glare at him. His green eyes plead me to forgive him, and his face shows pain. He wants me to just forgive him like I always do. Every time he misses my piano recitals, I just shrug it off and forgive him because when he looks at me, I can see he really is sorry. But tonight, my broken heart doesn't want to forgive. Tonight, my heart tells me to be the vindictive and petty child everyone considers me to be.

"Apology not accepted." I say before I stomp away from the family room and up to mine slamming and locking the door behind me.

Not even bothering to change, I throw myself on my bed and pull the covers over me as the hot tears roll down my cheeks. Knowing I'm probably crying loudly like a wounded animal, which I am, I cover my face with the pillow. The sobs shake my body as I hug the pillow tightly. The knot in my chest doesn't want to go away, so I scream in the hopes that it will undo itself. It doesn't. At this point, I'm not only crying over the fact that Derek has hurt me again, but I cry because no one seems to care about my damaged feelings. Uncle Peter has never screamed at me like tonight. Of course this is the first time I hit someone outside of the training sessions. But it just hurts so much to be treated like this. If my parents were alive, would I be going through this? Would I have met Derek and fallen in love with him?

"Sky?" Speak of the devil. "Can we talk?"

"Go away!" I shout my voice muffled by the pillow, so I remove it. "Go away and stay away from me! I don't ever want to talk to you again!" I shriek followed by covering my face again with the pillow.

"Sky please," he keeps begging over and over again. He apologizes over and over again, but I make good on my promise to never speak to him again. I let him talk to the door. I let him promise the door he won't hurt me again. I scoff under the bed sheets.

"Just go to bed, Derek," I hear Uncle Peter say at around two in the morning. "It's late. Let her cool off."

I hear Derek sigh defeated and get to his feet. His footsteps soon move away from my room, and I suppose to his. Finally having cried myself dry, I get up and quickly change into pajamas because I don't want to ruin my dress more. After my wild hair has been brushed, my teeth are clean from cotton candy, and I am in comfortable clothing, I slip back into bed and cry a little more only quietly this time. How odd that just a while ago I was laughing and kissing Josh. Now, I am grounded, hurt, and crying myself to sleep. Life sucks like that, I guess.

Looking at myself in the mirror as I get ready for school, I regret all the crying. I look like shit. My eyes are still puffy as heck with bags under them. I also have a migraine. Today is not going to be a good day I can already tell. I sigh, spit the toothpaste, and rinse my mouth then head over to my closet for clothing. Walking out of the bathroom, I remember that all of my clothing is sprawled all over my room since last night I had gone crazy looking for something to wear for my not date with The Douche, also known as Derek Hale. A tear rolls down my cheek as I remember the previous night, but I wipe it off and swallow the knot in my throat. I will not cry anymore.

I head out to the kitchen for breakfast wearing red skinny jeans, black sneakers, and a long sleeved plaid shirt. I pulled my hair up in a long ponytail and had actually applied make up as I have to cover up the ugly bags under my eyes. Besides I decided to look good for Josh. That's right, I'm moving on. Screw The Douche, also known as Derek Hale. At the top of the stairs, I find Jesse tying his shoes.

"What's up?" I greet him as we both head down.

"Not much," he frowns at me. "What's up with you?"

I shrug. "Same old, same old. I have a French quiz today and gym."

"Kay," he keeps frowning as I skip all the way to the kitchen.

"Good morning family," I greet the usual suspects plus Uncle Adam, who usually doesn't join us for breakfast as he leaves too early for the office.

I head over to the bowl of fruits and pick up a banana. From the fridge, I pull out a strawberry yogurt. When I turn I find everyone staring at me. I frown at them as I take a seat and peel my banana.

"What?" I say with my mouth full. "Do I have boogers?" I raise my head up, so they can see my nose. "I thought I got them all."

Andre and Chase snicker as they return to their respective bowls of cereal. The rest of the family members turn away and resume their conversations. I sit as far away as I can from The Douche, also known as Derek Hale, who is still staring at me. His bushy eyebrows meet in the middle in his deep and usual frowns. I pointedly ignore him and pull out my French textbook since I still have to keep the appearances that I am studying for the class. Jesse sits next to me with his plate of bacon and toast.

"Want some?" He says offering me a piece of bacon. "You weren't always vegetarian, you know." He continues as I just stare at the bacon.

"No but I am now." I shrug and open up my yogurt. "Since I started volunteering at Dr. Deaton's clinic, it seemed hypocritical that I help the animals while I'm eating them."

"Dr. Deaton is vegetarian?" Andre asks joining the conversation.

"Um," I frown. "Not sure. I have never asked him. I am usually the one who talks him to death."

"One of your many annoying traits," Jesse teases lightly as he keeps munching on the bacon.

"Jerk," I shove him lightly.

"I hear you're not working for Dr. Deaton though," Chase pipes in as he takes his bowl to the sink. "So you don't need to be vegetarian."

I consider his words. True. Since part of my punishment is not being able to help Dr. Deaton, then I have no reason to remain vegetarian. Wait, no! What am I thinking? Being vegetarian is my way of life now. Then again, it seems that the way I am is not the good way to live since everyone keeps complaining about my cursing, my vegetarianism, my petty behavior, and just everything that I am. Maybe what I need to do is change. My eyes meet The Douche's, also known as Derek Hale. He looks at me longingly, I think. I can't really tell what's going on in his head, so I turn my face away from him.

"True." I take a piece of bacon from Jesse's plate.

Eyes turn to me, some even gasp, as I put the bacon in my mouth and chew. Vile rises up my esophagus as I swallow. This is disgusting. So much fat. All meat. Gross. But I hold it down and manage to give a smile to Jesse and the guys.

"I am hardcore." I giggle as I take Jesse's orange juice too.

"Ok what the hell is going on?" Uncle Peter says looking at me suspiciously from across the table. "You just ate bacon, and I haven't heard a single curse from your mouth. Are you ok?" He frowns as concern takes over his features.

Oh now you're concerned about me Uncle Peter? How sweet of you! I bite back the sarcastic remark and shrug instead returning my eyes to the vocabulary. Awkward silence settles in the room except for Tyler and Dylan's gurgles and giggles. I try to ignore all the stares in my direction and concentrate on the vocabulary in front of me: _le clavier, le violon, le trombone, le violoncelle, le piano… _

Unable to take all the staring anymore, I slam my textbook closed, put it inside my bag, and head out to the porch to wait for Aunt Julie to drop Andre, Jesse, Chase, and me off at school. I sit on the steps of the porch and once again open my textbook memorizing the vocabulary for the quiz. After a while, I start humming to myself and zoning out. I stiffen and come back to reality when The Douche, also known as Derek Hale, sits next to me. In his hands, he twirls one of Aunt Julie's red carnations. The Douche, also… ok it takes me forever to finish his new nickname, doesn't say anything for a while, and I am still making good on my promise to not talk to him. However, I do glance at him and the carnation out of the corner of my eyes.

"You said you didn't want my apology," The Douche, shortened version, begins as he extends the carnation out to me. "But I still want to apologize. I'm so sorry, Sky."

I keep my breathing and heart rate under control like Uncle Peter taught me. I don't want The Douche to know how hard I'm fighting to stay mad at him. His voice sounds so sincere and broken, it tugs at my heart. And the sight of the carnation, my favorite flower, would make my heart flip out if I let it. But I won't. I'm still hurt, so I ignore the carnation and keep staring at my textbook. When he sees I'm not going to take the flower, he places it gently on top of my textbook where I'll have to choice but to touch it to remove it. Well, buddy you have another thing coming.

I slam the book closed crushing the carnation inside. It pains me to do it since the carnation is so gorgeous, but I am not giving in. Call me Petty Hale from now on. The Douche gasped when I just slammed the textbook shut and picked up my bag. I open Aunt Julie's car and climb inside and wait for her to come out. The Douche doesn't follow me, thankfully, but he stands on the porch watching me with a hurt expression. Welcome to my world, The Douche!

Before I start crying and rush over to The Douche to forgive him, Aunt Julie comes out as well as the boys, and we take off to school. I sigh in relief and sit back on my seat breathing deeply to keep the tears inside. Andre and I are the first ones to be dropped off. Aunt Julie gives us money for lunch, and we head inside after a brief goodbye.

On Tuesdays, I have gym before lunch, and it so happens that Josh has gym with me too. I run into him on my way out of the locker room.

"Hey!" He shouts excitedly as he throws his arm around me like he does every day.

"Hey yourself," I grin back and wrap my own arm around his waist.

"How are you today?" He cannot stop grinning and watching me.

"Awesome, well, I'd be lying." I grimace. "I sort of got grounded for two weeks, so I don't think I'll be able to go to your swim meet on Wednesday. I'm sorry. Oh and I don't have a phone."

"Crap," he finally stops grinning and his face falls. "Was it because I dropped you off to late? I'll talk to your uncle. He seems to like me." He grins again proud of himself.

I giggle. "Your charm goes only so far, Josh." I pause. "No, it wasn't because of you. I sort of punched one of my cousins, and that didn't go well with them."

His eyes get all wide then he laughs. "Remind me not to mess with you."

The coach blows her whistle making us rush out onto the field and thankfully keeping Josh from asking why I punched The Douche. The coach gives us instructions to stretch and jog, walk or run for a mile and a half; she really doesn't give a crap what we do as long as we let her read her porn magazines which she keeps covered with a Jane Austen novel. Josh and I giggle as we both think the same. We set out to stretch together then run around the track. We start out racing each other than we both get bored and decide to walk the last bit very slowly while we hold hands.

"Chuck Norris doesn't sleep, he waits." Josh says utterly serious though I can see he's fighting hard the urge to laugh. We have been telling Chuck Norris's jokes for a while and whoever laughs first, loses. We determined that whoever wins gets a kiss. Well I determined that. Yeah, I'm feeling flirtatious today.

"Chuck Norris can play the violin with a piano." I counterattack with my most serious face.

"Chuck Norris counted to infin-" Josh is suddenly dragged by the collar from the track.

"Derek!" I hiss when I see Josh against a tree while The Douche towers over him. "What the hell?"

"Stay away from Sky you hear me?" The Douche ignores me as he growls in Josh's face. "If I see you near her or you touch her again, I will rip your head off, understood?"

I shove The Douche, but he doesn't move at all. "Let him go! Derek, I swear to God I will kick you in the balls again if you don't let him go!" The Douche steps back letting Josh bend over coughing violently. I race to Josh's side and hold him up. "Oh my God, are you ok? Josh?"

"What the fuck is your problem?!" Josh shouts through the coughs. "You almost chocked me to death!"

"Next time I _will_ choke you to death." The Douche replies with a sneer.

"First of all, what the fuck are you doing here?" I finally snap and forget I'm supposed to stop cursing. "You should be in school! Second, what the fuck gives you the right to threaten my boyfriend? Third, I swear Derek, if you don't leave Josh and me alone, I will really leave you ball less."

"Boyfriend?" The Douche repeats as if that was the most important thing I just said. "Since when do you have a boyfriend?"

"Since it's none of your beeswax," I snap back as I help Josh to his feet. "Go away."

As Josh and I make our way back to the track, The Douche shouts after me. "You talked to me! And you cursed!" He laughs. I turn to glare at him and to tell him to perform an impossible physical activity to himself, but he has disappeared.

"I'm so sorry about my cousin," I tell Josh as I hand him a bottle of water. "He's so overprotective. I swear he won't bother us again. If he does, I will knee him in the balls again."

"He's a creep," Josh clears his throat. "I seriously thought he was going to kill me. I saw this glint in his eyes like animalistic. It scared me shitless."

I bite my lip. "I am so sorry. I hope there's some way I can make it up to you?"

Josh narrows his eyes and strokes his chin as if in thought. I can't help giggle a little at how awesome Josh is. The guy almost had his throat ripped out by The Douche, yet he's back to his old self teasing and laid back. God, I like this kid.

"I got it," he says pulling me down on the bench next to him. "I will tell you the next Chuck Norris joke, and you will laugh no matter how lame it is making me the winner. Deal?"

I pretend to be dismayed and annoyed for the sake of teasing. "Fine," I give a dramatic defeated sigh. "Can you at least try to make it good?"

"I make no promises," he laughs and takes my hand again. "Here it goes. Chuck Norris doesn't have pick-up lines, he simply says 'now.'"

Before I even have time to laugh or say what a lame joke it is, Josh kisses me. His lips are warm and soft like I remember from last night. Of course this kiss is less awkward and there's no nose bumping like last night. The coach breaks our sweet moment by blowing her whistle right in our ears. She gives us after school detention for not finishing the mile and a half, but when I tell her it's really because we get more action than she does, I land a week in detention. Fuck me sideways. Uncle Peter will not like this.

At the end of the day, I am bored out of my mind and so not looking forward to detention. I briefly consider ditching it as Uncle Peter did say I am confined to my room right after school. In the end, I decide no one will find my logic very logical, so I grudgingly make my way to detention after blowing off on purpose three questions in the French quiz. By the time I reach the coach's office, Josh is already sitting there looking up at the ceiling. He gives me a grin when he sees me sit two chairs in front of him. The coach doesn't say anything not even looking up from her porn magazines.

A couple of minutes into detention, a piece of paper hits my shoe. I discreetly bend down to pick it up.

"_The back of your head is beautiful._" He writes in his sloppy boyish yet cute handwriting.

I hide the grin with my hand and scrawl a response. "_Thank you sir. The back of my head and I appreciate it, but my front feels jealous._"

I throw the note back reaching behind me as if scratching my head. I hear Josh cough to hide his laughter. The note soon hits my shoe again.

"_Your front has nothing to be jealous of. All of you is beautiful. However, as I can only see the back off your head, I have to make do._"

"_You're so full of it.*Kissy face* That reminds me, you didn't win._"

"_I did too! I kissed you. Thank you for the kissy face btw. ;)_"

"_You didn't wait for my laughter. I demand a rematch. And my kiss back. ;)" _

"_Well, I guess I'll have no option but to return your kiss then. After this. *hearts*"_

I can't contain myself. I giggle. The coach looks up and narrows her eyes at me. She looks up at the clock behind Josh then lets us go with the condition to make up the mile next Tuesday. I resist the urge to roll my eyes and tell her to just go get a stripper and get laid. Josh pulls me out of the room knowing I will definitely say or do something that will get us into deeper trouble. We laugh as we race through the empty halls of the school. Once we reach the main doors, we stop and hold our stomachs.

"Why are we laughing?" I say through the laughter.

"I don't know," he replies coughing loudly. "I don't know."

After a while, we both finally have our fit of laughter under control, and we stare at each other. He steps closer to me and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. I smile shyly at him. He really is cute with those freckles, hazel-brown eyes, fair and smooth skin.

"So, you think I have a beautiful everything?"

"Yeah," he snorts. "Of course. Beautiful smile, beautiful lips, beautiful eyes, beautiful laughter, beautiful hair…"

"So I'm just beautiful?" I fake-pout.

"No, you're gorgeous. Stunning. Lovely."

"Ok, ok I get it." I blush a deep red. "You're not so bad yourself."

"Thank you." He snickers. "So I believe you asked for your kiss back?"

"Oh yes," I raise my chin up. "You have stolen the kiss since you didn't win. I'd like to have it back."

"I think that can be arranged." He grins as he leans forward to kiss me again.

As I walk through the woods, I have the biggest grin on my face. I am really getting used to being with Josh. He makes me laugh and feel happy and treasured. I touch my lips again and twirl around until I'm dizzy and fall on my butt. I giggle uncontrollably and roll around on the ground. Despite the shit I've been through, I have to admit that I am pretty happy. Well, at least right now, and it's thanks to this kid. I stay on the ground looking up at the sky and touching my lips again. The Douche has been out of my mind for pretty much all day until now that is. I groan as I think of getting home.

Knowing I'll be in more trouble for not being home when I'm supposed to, I finally get up and dust myself off as best as possible and resume my walking. Finally, I reach the house and take my shoes off at the entrance. I hear angry voices coming from the studio, but I shrug it off and shut the door. At the sound of the door closing, hurried footsteps come out of the studio. Uncle Peter's face goes from angry to relieved. He rushes to me and hugs me tightly. I remain stiff unsure of what to do. What did I do to get a hug when I'm supposed to be under punishment?

"Um," I say as Uncle Peter lets go of me. "What happened?"

"Where were you?" Uncle Adam says glaring at me and crossing his arms though I can see he's relieved I'm home too.

"I, um, got detention." I shrug. "I couldn't tell you because I have no phone." I glance briefly at Uncle Peter. Yeah, that was aimed at you.

"And you couldn't call from the school's office?" Uncle Peter raises his eyebrows at me.

I shrug again and make my way to the stairs. "I have detention all week."

"What did you do?" Uncle Peter sighs exasperated.

I shrug and look at the ground. "I told the coach she doesn't get laid enough."

I shrug again and wait for the chastising. Instead, Uncle Peter and Adam briefly glance at each other and then burst out laughing. They laugh for a while holding their sides until I put my hands on my hips and glare at them. Finally, the adults control themselves and try to look all parental and serious and failing miserably.

"You can't say that to people, Sky," Uncle Adam shakes his head and tsks at me as the smile remains on his lips.

"On the other hand," Uncle Peter continues pulling my phone out of his pocket. "I'm glad we have the old Sky back. I was getting worried when you ate bacon this morning. Here." He hands me my phone. I stare at it then at Uncle Peter. He laughs when he sees the doubt in my face. "Just take it baby girl. I think I was too harsh on you last night, and I'm sorry. You're still grounded though with no Dr. Deaton and confined to your room. Which is where you need to go right now." He grins, and I have the feeling he's hiding something.

I bite my lip and snatch the phone out of his hand before he takes it back. It feels so good to have my phone back. Throwing my arms around Uncle Peter, I thank him. I blow a kiss to Uncle Adam and race up to my room briefly wondering where The Douche is. I thought he would be pacing back and forth waiting for me. I laugh quietly. I need to get over myself not everything revolves around me. Besides, I don't want to see The Douche. I hope I don't see him. Hopefully he'll be out with his whore tonight and miss dinner. I grimace. I don't really want that. Oh God, I'm confused. I shake my head and step into my room.

My jaw hits the floor, my eyes bug out of its sockets, my hands go limp dropping my phone on the floor with a thud, and my eyes get all blurry with tears. The sigh before me is beautiful. Every surface is covered with white and red carnations. Their scent is deliciously intoxicating, and they look beautiful as they adorn my clean room which I never cleaned this morning. Then who… I spy a note taped above my bed. Careful not to step on any of the carnations, I take the note and read it.

"_Sky,_

_Nothing I say will make you understand the depth of my regret for making you cry. So how about I show you? Every carnation is an apology and a sign of how much I love you. I don't want to lose you. Forgive me?_

_Derek_"

I stare at the note as a single traitor tear rolls down my cheek. The Douche loves me? I don't feel like he does. But looking at the beautiful carnations, I feel otherwise. However, does this undo the damage he has done to me?

"This is why I wasn't in school." I turn around and find The Douche leaning against the door's frame. "It took me all day to clean your room, and when I showed up at your school, I was buying the carnations." He says shyly. "I don't know what else to say or do. I think this time I really screwed up."

So this why The Douche didn't go to school? This is what The Douche did all day? And The Douche thinks that with a bunch of carnations I'll forgive him? The Douche thinks that with a cute note I will talk to him again?

His green eyes meet mine, and I can see hope in them.

**Should Sky forgive The Douche, also known as Derek Hale, or should she make him suffer a little more? Things could get uglier… **


	9. Broken Violin

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf**

Chapter 8: Broken Violin

_Sky_

The hope in The Douche's eyes never leaves even as I hesitate and look down at the note considering just how compassionate and mature I truly am. Compassionate I am beyond belief. If I am being honest with myself, I have already forgiven The Douche. On the other hand, my heart doesn't want me to be compassionate or mature. My heart begs for retribution; it wants The Douche to suffer. My heart rationalizes that telling The Douche he's forgiven so soon will teach The Douche nothing. The Douche will return to treating me like I am not a person. The Douche will return to breaking my heart.

Glancing at the carnations, my resolve falters. If he did all this to gain my forgiveness, is The Douche really a douche? _Be strong Sky. Stick with your plan. _I chant in my head even as the sight of all the carnations sprawled over my bed, the floor, and the bureaus tugs at a part buried beyond the vindictive side of my heart. I sigh knowing what I will do.

I bend down to pick up a red carnation at my feet. The-Not-So-Douche watches my every movement with his hope filled emerald eyes. His breath hitches when I take a step toward him with the carnation twirling between my fingertips. The-Not-So-Douche stands up straighter as I come to a stop inches away from him. I look up into his eyes, and I see a triumphant glint in them. A smile spreads over his lips, and he extends his hands out to hug me. The-Not-So-Douche knows I have forgiven him.

"Clean your mess up," I say icily proving him wrong. I have not forgiven him. Not really. I shove the carnation and note in his outstretched hands.

His face falls as he frowns at the carnation and note I have handed him. The-Not-So-Douche-But-Still-Douche stares at my carnation filled room stupidly as if it will answer an unspoken question. I remember to keep my breathing and heartbeat under control. _Deep breaths, Sky. Control your heart. Concentrate. _Since The-Not-So-Douche-But-Still-Douche is too big, he takes up the entire doorway and blocks my path. I need to escape his presence because my resolve is feeble and about to break.

"Move," I shove him, and, after a long look at my emotionless face, he steps aside.

Once he moves, I walk leisurely toward the stairs and down to the den overlooking the backyard. I settle down in one of the comfy and plush couches and put my feet up the middle table. Staring up at the ceiling, I wonder what The-Not-So-Douche-But-Still-Douche is doing. I stifle a laugh as a thought comes to mind: I am a douche too. I could have told him he's forgiven, and I loved the surprise. However, as my heart has so logically put it, The-Not-So-Douche-But-Still-Douche will have learned nothing if I just give in so easily. As Laura always says, play hard to get. I am well known for playing hard to get. Sometimes.

I shake my head and decide I'm not going to think about The-Not-So-Douche-But-Still-Douche or what he's doing right now. If I keep thinking about him, I'll just race up the steps and throw my arms around him with tears in my eyes. I'll just hug him and tell him I'm sorry though I don't know why _I _would be sorry for. He'll wrap his strong arms around me and crush me to his chest where I'll smell his manly cologne and aftershave and die. He'll thank me for forgiving him, and I'll tell him I love him, but he'll never know exactly what I mean.

I find myself rising from my seat. Woah, there girl. I sit back down and pull out my iPod. I need a distraction. Since I usually don't do my homework until after dinner when I come back from helping Dr. Deaton, I will start it early today as I am confined to my room. I wonder if Uncle Peter will get angry because I'm not in my room, but The-Not-So-Douche-But-Still-Douche has to clean it up. Ok, homework. I decide to get French done as it is easiest. I plug my headphones in and press play immediately groaning at the song playing: _Falling _by Florence + The Machine. Crap. I forgot I fell asleep listening to it repeatedly.

_"Sometimes I wish for falling_

_ Wish for the release_

_ Wish for falling through the air _

_To give me some relief_

_ Because falling's not the problem_

_ When I'm falling, I'm in peace_

_ It's only when I hit the ground that causes all the grief"_

Story of my freaking life. I don't mind falling for De- I mean- The-Not-So-Douche-But-Still-Douche. Falling for him is beautiful. I see everything he does with a magnifying glass, and it brings tears to my eyes to see how beautiful he is when he stares at a calculus problem. His eyebrows meet in the middle and his lips get set in a hard thin line while his strong and manly jaw twitches. I enjoy watching his muscles strain as he lifts the couch for Aunt Grace to vacuum the family room. My heart expands when I watch him tickle Tyler and Dylan until they are purple with laughter, and he is grinning like an idiot with a loving glint in his emerald eyes. And I die whenever he smiles at me or suddenly feels affectionate towards me. I don't mind falling for him at all. I fall every day.

And every day I hit the ground harder and faster each time. I hit the ground when I see him practically race out of the house to meet his whore. I hit the ground when I see him the next day and the joyous glint in his eyes make me nauseous because I know why it is there. Regardless of the grief it causes to catch hickeys in his abdomen, I still fall for him. Harder and faster every damn day which causes me to hit the ground knocking the air out of me and cry into my pillow at night professing my love for him to the darkness.

I jump up startled when the door to the den opens, and I sigh relieved. It's only Uncle Peter; he has found me. He doesn't say anything as he just takes a sit next to me and places a cup in the glass table between our couches. His mouth moves, but I hear nothing. Oh the headphones. I pause the next song _Ashes and Wine _by A Fine Frenzy. I almost groan at the song, which also describes my life to perfection. Goddamn it. I need to stop listening to freaking depressing music.

"What was that Uncle Peter?"

"I said, why aren't you in your room?" He takes a sip of the cup and stares out to the backyard where Chase, Andre and Jesse are playing soccer.

I don't remember seeing them come out of the house. I shrug remembering Uncle Peter asked me a question. "The- um, Derek is cleaning up the mess he made." Holy. I had been so close to calling The-Not-So-Douche-But-Still-Douche by his nickname out loud. I doubt Uncle Peter would have liked it.

"Mess?" He arches his eyebrows at me. "I thought it was sweet. Sky…"

"No," I slam my textbook close and get up. "Call me petty, but I am not forgiving him so easily this time."

"Sit down," he sighs. "Fine. Do as you please. But remember that no one is perfect."

"I don't believe this," I shake my head and lean back on the chair. "You are defending him after he made me cry like a freaking Magdalene."

"Like a what?" He laughs.

"Beto told me that the other day," I giggle thinking of the time I made my friend Beto cry because I hit him in the face with the soccer ball. However, it was an accident as we were playing soccer, and he was goalie. It's not my fault he's hardcore about soccer, as are almost all Mexicans, and he stopped the ball with his face. He had used that expression afterwards. "Mary Magdalene is like this saint of tears or something. Anyway the expression means to cry one's eyes out."

"Uh," he nods. "We learn something new every day. Still, I want you to reconsider your feelings. Do you really want to make him suffer?"

"No one makes me cry like that," I murmur somewhat echoing his words from last night when the cashier answered to his question rather rudely.

He must have thought the same because he started to choke and laugh at my words. I smack him on the back gently until he raises his hand signaling that he's fine. By the time he has controlled his coughing fit, I am giggling quietly.

"You are the apple of my eye," he says lovingly and grasping my hand. "All right. I can't argue with that logic as you are Peter Hale's spawn."

I smile and nod my head. Silence settles between us after that as we opt to watch the boys play. Laura races out of the house and soon joins them as does Sophie. They try to awkwardly form a team but as they are an odd number and very few, it doesn't really work. Sophie shouts out my name and throws pebbles at my window. Since the glass of the den doesn't allow them to see inside, they can't see I'm not up there. Jesse soon joins her in calling my name and throwing pebbles. I laugh as I watch them struggle to get me out of the house.

"She's grounded you guys," Chase, always the voice of reason, chastises them. "Leave her alone."

"SKY!" Jesse ignores Chase altogether, as he always does.

"She's not here," The-Not-So-Douche-But-Still-Douche shouts back to them.

"Where is she?" Sophie asks pouting.

"What are you doing in her room then?" Laura asks at the same time.

"Nothing." The window to my room slams shut leaving the group looking at each other wondering what's wrong with The-Not-So-Douche-But-Still-Douche.

"He's brooding," Laura rolls her eyes and kicks the ball setting the game back into motion.

I sigh and open up my textbook again not really feeling like dealing with a brooding douche. Uncle Peter stays quiet sipping on his cup and watching the guys and girls play. I am glad he didn't say anything about the brooding douche we have upstairs; I can't deal with a sermon and him trying to convince me to forgive The-Not-So-Douche-But-Still-Douche. However my words seem to have placated him. It's like he's secretly happy that I am like him for seeking revenge. I tap my pencil against the textbook wondering if I want to be vindictive. Well, it's not being vindictive when the person deserves it, right? Besides it's common human behavior to seek payback, right?

"I'm done." The-Not-So-Douche-But-Still-Douche's voice makes me jump and drop my pencil. "Your room is clean of my mess." He leaves without waiting for a response which I wasn't going to give him anyway.

I look next to me at Uncle Peter. His eyes are closed, but he's not sleeping as I see the smile that creeps into his mouth. I smile back and put my stuff back into my bag to get back to my room. As I make my way out of the den, he grabs my hand stopping me.

"I thought you wanted to spar with your old man," he grins mischievously.

I drop my bag as my jaw hits the floor. "Really? You mean it? I thought I was confined to my room?"

"Well," he says getting up. "I figure some sparring will get some of the anger and tension out of you."

"Sweet!" I fist pump the air and throw my arms around Uncle Peter. "You're going down old man." I say against his shirt.

"We'll see about that," he responds as he picks me up flipping my upside down and carrying me out like that.

I give out a crazed laughter as my body swings with Uncle Peter's movements. "You cheater!" I screech between laughs as he keeps the back of my knees over his left shoulder and the rest of my body dangles.

He doesn't say anything as he just laughs at me. He leads us down to the basement where we hear someone moving boxes around. Uncle Peter comes to a stop when we find The-Not-So-Douche-But-Still-Douche rummaging through the dusty old stuff the family keeps down here. The-Not-So-Douche-But-Still-Douche stops looking and turns to us with a somewhat guilty expression on his face.

"Derek," Uncle Peter shifts me so I am now dangling from his right shoulder instead of putting me down. "What are you looking for son?"

"Nothing," seems to be his response of the day. His eyes go down to meet mine, and he almost smiles seeing me upside down and probably red in the face. The smile doesn't quite reach him as I just glare at him and cross my arms.

"Ok," Uncle Peter replies moving over to the hidden door. "Mind helping me move the cooler?"

"You could set me down," I comment as The-Not-So-Douche-But-Still-Douche moves the cooler out of the way, so Uncle Peter doesn't have to set me down.

"Not a chance," Uncle Peter laughs and thanks The-Not-So-Douche-But-Still-Douche while we go down to the tunnels to spar.

At first, I could tell Uncle Peter was going easy on me as he just kept a defensive strategy dodging my blows to his knees and his stomach. When I finally complained about it, he chuckled and promised he wouldn't hold back. Boy, do I wish to go back to that now. Uncle Peter is handing my ass to me. Every time I try to throw a punch, he grabs my fisted hand and throws me backward. I quickly get up and try a front snap kick, which he stops by grabbing my ankle with one hand and my calf with the other followed by twisting my entire body and landing on my back. I feel the wind getting knocked out of me, but I get up anyway. I sway a little, and Uncle Peter stretches his hands out to catch me.

"Maybe we should stop," he says worriedly.

"Oh no," I fist my hands. "I'm so close to kicking your butt old man." I grin.

We go on like that for a while, Uncle Peter knocking me to the ground before I have a chance at even touching a hair on his head. In the end, when I can't take getting knocked down on the thick mats, Uncle Peter calls it quits and congratulates me on being such a tough opponent. Of course I know he's just saying that to wipe the pout off my face.

"I was not," I repeat as we head back to the house. "I sucked." I cross my arms and look away from him.

"You were incredible," he says wrapping his arms around me. "Several times I thought you were really going to knock me down!"

"Uncle Peter," I step out of his embrace. "I didn't even touch you."

"You got pretty close," the man doesn't give up his attempt at trying to make me feel better. "How about this? When I come back from my trip, you and I spar some more. Would you like that?"

I uncross my arms and stare at him. "I didn't know you were going away," I pout this time for real. I usually don't like Uncle Peter going away for business trips. I know they are necessary, but I miss him terribly.

"I'm not leaving for a while," he throws his arm around me, and we resume our walking. "I leave in a week and a half."

"How long will you be gone? Where are you going? Do you have to go?" I whine out the last question.

He chuckles before answering my questions. "I'll be gone for the rest of the month. I am going to New York. And yes I have to go. Does that answer all your questions?"

I bite my lip. "So you'll be gone for the next full moon?"

"Yes," he sighs. "I don't like it either. Adam needs all the help he can get, but I'm sure Laura and Derek will step up to help him and Grace." He stops and turns me to face him. He sighs again as he places his hands on my shoulders and leans down to my eye level. "Listen to me Sky, when the next full moon comes, I want you to stay inside the house with Andre, Sarah and Julie. No going out. No sneaking into the tunnels. You hear me? I won't be here to help Adam and Grace. Who knows how violent Chase, Sophie and now Jesse will get."

I nod fervently though I don't understand why he has to tell me this. I know better than to roam around during full moons. Not only are the werewolves dangerous, but so are the hunters. Since the hunters know the werewolves get a little crazy, they double their vigilance and hunting parties. The hunters know I'm a Hale, or at least legally, and they might suspect I am a werewolf. I know better than to roam around like The-Not-So-Douche-But-Still-Douche does every night. Satisfied with my answer, Uncle Peter and I resume our walking.

By the time we step out of the woods, The-Not-So-Douche-But-Still-Douche is getting out of his car and talking on the phone.

"I said not tonight," The-Not-So-Douche-But-Still-Douche sighs annoyed. "Because I'm busy… I know… Wait… Fine. I'll see wh-"

The-Not-So-Douche-But-Still-Douche stops talking when he sees Uncle Peter and me make our way to the porch. I pointedly ignore him though I wonder if he's talking to his whore. It does sound like it as he sort of sounded desperate at the end. My blood boils, and I can feel my heart rate pick up. No. No. _Steady, Sky. Steady. Breathe. _The-Ex-Douche-Now-Asshole resumes his talking on the phone except more quietly this time. Uncle Peter ignores him too as we step onto the porch.

"Can I go with you?" I tell Uncle Peter as we enter the house with The-Ex-Douche-Now-Asshole closely behind us. "To New York, I mean. Please?"

"Final exams are coming up, Sky." He replies as he stares at me wondering where my question is coming from.

I am surprised too. It's not like I have never asked Uncle Peter to go with him on his business trips because I have especially when I was little, and I finally came out of my mute phase. But as I grew up, I learned his trips weren't fun trips or anything; they were in fact business trips. However, seeing The-Ex-Douche-Now-Asshole talking on the phone with his whore is making me desperate to get away from him and all his crap.

"Please?" I beg with a pout on my lips. "I can study for the exams while in New York."

He shakes his head. "Sky, my business trips aren't for fun."

"I know. But please? Pretty please take me with you?"

By now, my eyes are filling with tears taking me, Uncle Peter, and The-Ex-Douche-Now-Asshole by surprise. The-Ex-Douche-Now-Asshole had been making his way very slowly to the stairs pretending to text or maybe he was, I don't know. Hearing the desperation in my voice, he comes to a complete stop at the foot of the stairs and turns to watch me.

"Sky," Uncle Peter sighs. "You're grounded. I can't…" He looks at me and then at The-Ex-Douche-Now-Asshole still standing there watching us with a frown. Uncle Peter sighs. "Fine. You can go. If you promise to be good from now until we leave. You will study hard especially for French."

"Thank you," I breathe out as I hug him tightly. "I promise I will study so hard for French and Anatomy and Algebra and… Thank you!"

"I'll right, I'll right. Go on and get that homework done." He laughs as he pats my head and sends me on my way.

I twirl around the foyer before racing up the stairs ignoring The-Ex-Douche-Now-Asshole completely. This is what I want or rather what I need: a break from his assholeness. Of course I know that hoping he gets over his assholeness by the time I come back is too much to ask, but a girl can dream right? When I reenter my room, I find it clean of carnations. That almost brings me to tears again as I remember how beautiful the flowers were all over my room. I shake my head and sit down on my desk to get started on the heap of homework I have.

By the time dinner comes, I only have Algebra left which is my toughest subject. The-Ex-Douche-Now-Asshole usually helps me with all my math homework as he's like some kind of genius, but since I'm angry with him, I'll have to deal after dinner that is. Tonight dinner consists of spaghetti and meatballs, well, except for mine. My dinner consists of baked spaghetti squash with garlic and butter. Yummy. I greet the entire family minus The-Ex-Douche-Now-Asshole, who is missing from the table. He probably went to see his whore.

Before I start to ponder where he is or what he's doing, a violin begins to play. And who plays violin in this house? The-Ex-Douche-Now-Asshole. He hasn't played it since he was ten. Everyone stops their conversations and their eating as they look around for the source of the music. The look on their faces tell me they are as surprised as I am that The-Ex-Douche-Now-Asshole is playing. I try to place the song, but I don't recognize it until The-Ex-Douche-Now-Asshole begins to sing too.

"_I'm sorry dear, so sorry dear_

_I'm sorry I made you cry_

_Won't you forget, won't you forgive?_

_Don't let us say goodbye"_

His voice is not that bad. Wait, what? I'm mad at him! I can't compliment him not even inside my head. But damn. That's one of my favorite songs by Frank Sinatra, and he knows it. This is another part of his master plan to get me to forgive him. He suddenly enters the dining room still playing his violin sadly yet beautifully, and he continues to sing making eye contact with me.

"_One little word, one little smile_

_One little kiss won't you try?_

_It breaks my heart to hear you sigh_

_I'm sorry I made you cry"_

Well, it breaks my heart to see you with your whore! I screech at him silently as I rise to my feet before he finishes the song and leave the room. As soon as I'm out, the music stops abruptly, and I can imagine the awkward silence in the room as I slam my bedroom door. I lock the door and plug in my headphones blaring Muse's _Sing for Absolution._ Well, I literally have him singing for absolution. But how dare he? How dare he sing my favorite song? And so beautifully too! Wait, what? I lower myself on the bed face down and scream into my pillow in frustration. The-Sweet-Jerk is making it so hard for me to stay mad at him. If only he would give up and act like Jesse used to then everything would be easier on me. I could easily stay mad. But no. He has to be acting all sweet and thoughtful. That motherf…

I creep down the stairs to find something to eat as The-Sweet-Jerk interrupted my dinner with his nauseatingly beautiful voice and violin playing. I had fallen asleep a while after shouting profanities at The-Sweet-Jerk in my head. I had even come up with some new creative curses until I passed out of exhaustion. One of the steps creaks like a banshee, and as I was lost in thought, I forgot to skip it. I wait for the house to wake up and eat me alive for leaving The-Sweet-Jerk hanging like that, but to my relief everyone is dead asleep, I hope.

As I reach the kitchen, I see the light on and hear slurping and chewing. What the hell? I look at the time on my phone, and it reads 11:23pm. Who is up at this hour eating? Besides me. I step inside praying to all deities in heaven and hell that it's not The-Sweet-Jerk. To my relief it's Jesse eating…

"Raw meat?" I grimace and gag at the same time. "Gross."

"Shut up," he says between bites and sucking the remaining blood. "It's the cravings."

"Oh my gosh! Congratulations! You're pregnant! How far are you?" I giggle at his annoyed expression.

I let him continue with his odd and disgusting behavior and pull out the milk carton. His slurping and chewing distracts me every once in a while as I search for the Corn Flakes around the kitchen. At some point the sound stops, and I turn to look at him. He's washing his face in the sink. I'm glad he's done because otherwise I wouldn't be able to eat with him as he ate the raw meat. Even though I grew up with werewolves, and they love their meat, I could never get used to their odd cravings of uncooked meat sometimes. I don't want to admit it to anyone, but this is the real reason I went vegetarian. It just sort of grossed me out after years of this behavior. Of course I don't want to tell them because they are my family, and I love them to death. The last thing I want is to hurt them after they have been nothing but nice and loving to me.

"Mom left you your spaghetti in the microwave," Jesse informs me as he sits down in the kitchen island next to me and my bowl of Corn Flakes.

"Oh really?" I shrug and keep eating the cereal. "It's too late to eat heavy food. It will all go to my thighs."

He snorts as he places his cheek in his right palm and watches me eat. "You could use some fat. You're too skinny."

"What?" I snort this time which is not a good idea since I have food in my mouth. I choke for a while. "You are insane. Have you seen how fat my ass is?"

Jesse rolls his eyes then sneers. "I hear this kid, what's his name?" he pauses tapping his chin as if trying to remember something. Knowing Jesse, he's just doing it to piss me off, which he's accomplishing. How the hell did he hear about Josh? What did he hear about Josh and me? "Joseph? Johnny? It's Josh. Yeah. I hear Josh likes your ass among other things." He snickers as he moves away from my swinging arm.

"Shut up," I blush mortified by his words. "How did you hear about Josh?"

"Derek," he moves closer. "He's been ranting about it to Chase, Andre and me. He was practically asking us to hunt this kid down and beat him up. I told him to take a chill pill."

I shake my head at The-Sweet-Jerk, who is bordering on the line of being back into douche and asshole territory. Not only did he threaten Josh earlier today, but he has also asked our cousins to hunt him down and hurt him? That's out of line. I'm getting sick of all his possessiveness because I mean he and I are nada. Nothing. Cousins remember? Well, that still doesn't give him the right to threaten my boyfriend or get my cousins in on it.

"What did Andre and Chase say?"

He shrugs. "Andre said he knows Josh, and he seems like a good person. Chase says he's not trying to go to prison. All in all, we agreed you're capable of taking care of yourself as you did knee Derek in the balls and always kick my ass. However, we also agreed if Josh hurts you, then we break his balls too."

I laugh. "You should break Derek's balls as he is the ass who has hurt me."

"We think you have that covered," he snickers then turns serious. "Though I think you giving him the silent treatment and ignoring him like this is hurting him more than you kicking his ass or balls."

I swallow the last bit of my cereal and look away from Jesse. Well, how about that. My punishment is working. For what Jesse says anyway The-Sweet-Jerk is suffering. He finally knows what I feel. I frown down at my empty bowl. Is this what I want? Do I want him to suffer like I do? I don't know anymore. A part of me says I do want to make him suffer. It's the thirteenth year old immature side that wants to sucker punch The-Suffering-Butthead repeatedly in his manhood but doesn't because it knows we'll get in trouble with Uncle Peter. Then there's another part of me, which is more mature, that wonders if the love I have for him is real. Of course it's real! My heart protests indignant. I love The-Suffering-Butthead with all that I have.

"Jesse," I snap my fingers as he's falling asleep. "Where's The- I mean, Derek?"

"He went out," he shrugs. "Right after you stomped up to your room he broke his violin and left the house angrily. That's why I said your silence treatment is hurting him more. He was pissed. You know what I congratulate you. No one should give crap to a Hale, not even us."

"Only you?" I tease because inside I am dying. The-Back-To-Douche-Territory-Douchebag left to see his whore. Well, that is my fault since I kind of did blow him off after he did something so sweet as to sing to me. However, it's not very nice to run to his whore while he's supposedly trying to win me back. I can only assume, again, I'm not as important to him as I used to. And just when I was about to forgive him…

"Not even me," Jesse replies shyly pulling me out of my thoughts. "About all those years… I don't want to… It's just that…"

"It's ok," I smile. "We started off wrong, but we can be friends now. Cousins. Family."

"Pack," he nods fervently and stands up. "Hug?"

"Jesse Aaron Hale," I mock gasp while tears come to my eyes that this is really happening. Jesse and I are about to make up after years of angst. "Hug."

"I'm sorry," he says throwing his arms around me, and I around him. "I don't know why I was such a dick."

"Holy cow you said a bad word," I laugh as tears finally roll down my cheeks soaking his tank top. "A really bad one. You should donate to my jar."

"Hell no," he laughs with me.

"I'm sorry too. I'm sorry for spitting on your hot cocoa. I'm sorry for drawing on your face when you fell asleep. I'm sorry for breaking your skateboard, that was an accident by the way, but I never apologized. I'm sorry…"

"Stop," he chuckles. "If we make a list of all the things we have done to each other, we'll be here all night, and I need to go to bed. I have a Spanish test manana."

"I bet that's all the Spanish you know," I sniff and pull back to find that yes I got tears on his shirt. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," he shrugs. "Let's go to bed then."

"I'm going to wash the dishes you go ahead Senor Jesse." I wave him goodnight and quickly wash my dishes.

Well, besides finding out The-Back-To-Douche-Territory-Douchebag is out with his whore, I think my late night snack was pretty awesome. I got to have a heart to heart with Jesse, and we will finally get along. I always thought Jesse was cool. He's so confident, which can be mistaken by arrogance because sometimes he is an arrogant jerk, but he's cool and sweet when he wants. I have just been proved that. I sigh somewhat content despite the circumstances and turn off the lights. I turn on my phone to light up the way to my room and soon stumble upon The-Back-To-Douche-Territory-Douchebag's broken violin sitting on a table by the entrance door.

A knot forms in my throat as I pick the violin up. This was what he had been looking for in the basement. I don't fight the tear that rolls down my right cheek as it is dark, and I am alone. I hug the violin to me as I think of the pain it has suffered because of me. No, no. I wasn't my fault the poor violin has been snapped into two. It's The-Back-To-Douche-Territory-Douchebag's fault. If he had never stood me up and made me feel like shit 90% of the time… I jump back when the door bursts open and in walks The-Back-To-Douche-Territory-Douchebag. I hadn't even heard his car. His eyes glow blue as he enters the house and his eyes rest on me.

"What?" He slurs. He has been drinking. "What did… you do… to my violin?" He hiccupped twice as he spoke. When he sees my confusion and disbelief that I would break his violin, he starts laughing. The-Drunk-Ass-Wipe steps toward me and leans forward breathing his stench right in my face. "I'm going to tell you a secret," his words drag, and he sways a little. "I broke it… Shh!" He laughs then turns serious. "Wait, you're Sky…" He raises his hand up to my cheek where my tear is drying. "I sung to you, and you didn't like it. Why?" His voice cracks as he touches his forehead to mine making us sway together. "I'm trying. Really… You're mean. You're…"

"Derek!" Uncle Adam shouts making us both jump. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Shh," Derek turns to his dad but as he's drunk of his ass, he falls and on top of me. "Oh sorry kid. Hey! You're Sky! And that's my violin! You broke it!" He burps in my face, and the smell of alcohol makes me nauseous.

Uncle Adam pulls The-Drunk-Bastard to his feet as Uncle Peter pulls me up and away from a suddenly raging The-Drunk-Bastard.

"She broke it! She breaks everything! She has turned my fucking life upside down! I don't know what I feel anymore! I don't know… I don't know… She should have never come to our lives!" He keeps shouting over and over as he points his finger to me.

Uncle Adam has had enough. Using his Alpha authority, Uncle Adam silences The-Drunk-Bastard immediately and sends him to his room. When The-Drunk-Bastard disappears into his room, I burst into tears still hugging the damned violin. Uncle Peter rubs my back as I cry and keeps murmuring The-Drunk-Bastard didn't mean what he said, and he wouldn't have hurt me. But he has. Again. I just need to get away from him. I need to be as far away from The-Drunk-Bastard as possible. I can't wait to leave for New York.

As it turns out, Uncle Peter's business trips really are boring. Terribly so. He went into meetings every morning for two weeks, so I stayed up in his apartment studying for my finals. Of course Uncle Peter tried to make the trip fun, so he took me out touring the city when he wasn't working. We went to the Niagara Falls, took a helicopter tour of the Big Apple, and we managed to see Mamma Mia! Amazingly enough, Uncle Peter also took me to a fashion show where he bought me several outfits and others for Laura, Sophie and Sarah. At the fashion show, he introduced me to a model friend of his. Her name was Marissa Garner; she was pretty, and I could tell she liked Uncle Peter. I felt sad because Uncle Peter had told me all about Donna and his son Jackson, and he loved them very much but things hadn't ended happily for them. Marissa was never going to replace Donna in Uncle Peter's heart of that I am sure of. Our fun continued with visiting many delicious restaurants, museums, operas, and buying souvenirs for the whole family.

We got several statuettes of the Statue of Liberty, several mugs, t-shirts, jewelry for the girls, toys for the babies, sport gear, snow globes, and a violin. Yes, I got The-Drunk-Bastard a new violin, which I am not sure I will give to him ever, but I still got it. I'm stupid like that, I guess. I like Jesse's gift though. It sounds lame, but I got him a t-shirt. I like it because it is an Angry Birds t-shirt that says 'A is for Angry.' I thought it fit since he used to be sort of angry towards me. I couldn't wait to get home and give them their gifts. As it turns out, I got my wish ahead of time. Uncle Peter got a call in the middle of the night. He cursed loudly, better than I could have ever done, and then shouted to me to get ready to get back to Beacon Hills. When I had asked him why, he couldn't and wouldn't tell me. He still can't tell me as we drive back into town.

As we pull up the driveway, I get a really bad feeling in my stomach when I see two police cars parked in front of our house. Oh shit. Did The-Drunk-Bastard get in trouble? I don't wait for Uncle Peter to fully stop the car when I jump out and run inside the house. I find Andre in the arms of Laura at the top of the stairs. Quiet voices and sobs are heard in the studio. Uncle Peter enters then and races to where the voices are coming from. When he opens the door briefly, I see the officers inside with Aunt Julie and Grace and Uncle Adam. Aunt Julie is sobbing into Aunt Grace's chest, who is also crying but more silently than Aunt Julie.

My heart constricts as I take the stairs two at a time to find out what's going on from Laura.

"What's going on?" I ask quietly.

Laura doesn't meet my eyes as she keeps holding Andre tightly. From the hallway to the right, I can hear more sobbing, so I follow it in the hopes that someone will tell me what's going on. The sobbing seems to be coming from Jesse's room, so I push the door open and find Sarah hugging Jesse's pillow tightly. My chest begins to rise and fall rapidly as it finally hits me.

"Where's Jesse?" I demand as my eyes begin to burn. No one answers me as they are drowning in their own sorrow. "Where the fuck is Jesse?" My voice cracks as the knot forming in my throat chokes me.

Strong arms grab my waist and pull me away from Jesse's room as I scream incoherently needing release from the pain I'm suddenly feeling. Something has happened to Jesse, and it is something really bad. The strong arms don't let go of me and tug me free when I grab the banister as I try to get back to Jesse's room and find him. The jerk butt is probably praying a prank on me and has the entire family even the cops playing along. He's hiding in his closet waiting for me to show up and call himself the boogeyman like he did when I was little. But the strong arms are like steel bars as they drag me to my room where the door is shut and locked.

"Sky," his voice is rough yet gentle as he pulls me down on the bed next to him. "It's all going to be ok."

I shake my head unable to say anything as the knot is still chocking me. "Where's Jesse?" I croak.

Derek doesn't say anything for a while as he just holds me. "During the full moon, he got out and bit someone." He pauses for a couple of seconds giving me the feeling that he is keeping something. I didn't like the way he said someone. "The hunters got to him before we did. They… they shot him with wolfsbane."

It's real. This is really happening. Derek wouldn't lie about this; he hates the hunters. Jesse is not hiding in his closet. Jesse is not even alive anymore. He's never going to tease me again. He's never going to annoy me. He's never going to give me another hug. The dam breaks completely, and the tears flow like the Niagara Falls. I cry like a freaking Magdalene while Derek holds me tightly to his chest. I can feel him crying too, and he sniffs frequently. We hold each other for I don't know how long until I have nothing else left inside me. My eyes have gone dry for the moment, and it seems Derek's too.

It is then that I realize I am in Derek's arms. He is here holding me together as I feel broken in half like the violin. I look up at him and see his eyes are not the familiar emerald. They are the color of his wolf; they are blue like the sky; they are blue like mine except his are cold, pained, and angry. He looks down at me and regards me with an empty expression. As we look into each other's eyes, I think that my anger towards him is stupid. I was angry at Jesse for nine years and just when we had agreed to get along, he is taken from me.

My lips quiver again as I think of being angry with Derek until the day I lose him. By then it will be too late to tell him he's forgiven and that I love him even if he doesn't know just how deep that love runs. Without another thought, I wrap all of me around Derek. I throw my right leg over his hip and my arms grab his abdomen tightly as I bury my face in his chest just below his chin. He doesn't hesitate either as he grabs my leg and pulls me as close as he can to him. His left hand, previously on my leg, rests on my lower back while his right hand goes to the back of my head where he buries his hand in my hair keeping me pressed up against him.

"I'm sorry," I whisper through the newfound sobs. "I'm so sorry. I don't ever want to fight with you. I love you." My fingers dig into his back in a desperate attempt to make him disappear inside me where the hunters or whores won't get to him. "I love you. Please forgive me for not appreciating the carnations and the song. I'm so-"

"Hush," he says kissing my hair. "Hush, my Sky. You have nothing to apologize for. I am the one who is deeply sorry. I love you too."

We don't say anything afterwards and keep on crying as we hear the rest of the house do. At around midnight, it starts to rain as if heaven has caught up with us, and it's crying along. All night long, Derek and I hold each other always making sure we are holding on as tightly as we can because otherwise we will fall apart like the broken violin that is resting on top of my desk.

**Most of you didn't want Sky to forgive Derek, but given the circumstances, she just couldn't stay mad at him. However, I can, sadly, promise you this won't last. We are entering depressing territory. **

**A quick note to inform those of you interested in my health that I have started seeing my therapist again. She and I have met twice first to discuss my feelings and second to decide on medication. I will see her again sometime in the middle of the week. As of right now, there's no real improvement as she is just basically encouraging me to talk to my parents and let them know what's going on plus asking me to express my morbid thoughts in a positive way such as writing and drawing. Medication started just this past weekend; it doesn't do much until a month later, or that's how long it took last time. We hope that by starting school next week, I'll get some more distraction with classes and my peers. Let's hope that by the end of the year I'll be feeling better. Thanks for all of you who have sent me thoughtful messages with encouraging and kind words. **


	10. Hunter's Daughter

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf**

**My apologies for taking so long but since my last update, I lost my Godfather, and I had to go to Mexico for his funeral. Now that I am back, I had to return my laptop to school as I am withdrawing, so I am also without a laptop for the moment using my sister's for this update. It might take me a while to buy a new computer so please be patient. Thanks. **

Chapter 9: Hunter's Daughter

_Sky_

My eyes flutter open then I squeeze them shut tightly as the bright sunlight blinds me. I try opening my eyes once again and soon adjust to the streaming sunlight. I'm laying face up looking at the ceiling and the glow-in-the-dark stars Uncle Peter bought me years ago in an attempt at scaring away the boogeyman. My eyes feel like lead as does every part of my body. Of course my body feeling so heavy could be because of the massive werewolf on top of me. Derek's head is on my chest as he snores lightly while his arms and legs are thrown over my body keeping me in his warm embrace, suffocating me. It's a good suffocation though. It's so wonderful. My left hand goes instinctively to his head where it strokes his beautiful dark hair. I don't want to move just relishing the feeling of Derek so close to me. Then I remember why he slept here in the first place, and I feel like an ass.

Jesse is gone. He is gone so suddenly and so irrevocably that I didn't even see it coming. Just a few days ago, he was with us making us laugh and making us angry. His life has extinguished like a candle in the wind even when he still had so much light in him. All his dreams and goals have disappeared along with him never to see the light of day. In the most rapid and brief blink of an eye, he disappeared like magic; the darkest and most twisted of magic. Tears stream down my face as I imagine his faces all of them from angry to sad to happy to thoughtful to concerned. The feeling of the warm hugs he gave me lately and even the kiss on the cheek before I left for New York are simple memories of his liveliness. Never again will I feel him tangibly sitting next to me at the table for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. All these memories dancing in my head rub salt on my wounds and remind me that his absence has formed a black abyss of despair and pain in my chest.

"Hush," Derek whispers as he strokes my cheek with his thumb. He must have felt my quiet tears or must have heard the rapid beating of my heart as the pain constricts it, choking it.

"I'm sorry," I sniff. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

He lifts his head to look at me with bright emerald eyes; his bushy eyebrows meet in the middle in his signature frown. I find comfort in that. Despite all the shit going on around me, he is the constant in my life. I cannot imagine what I would do without Derek; I don't ever want to lose him. My feelings must reflect in my eyes because he leans forward touching our foreheads together and grabs my face gently between his hands.

"You'll never lose me," he whispers. "Never. I'm the one worried I'll lose you."

"Never." Is all I say as I wrap my arms around him.

We don't say anything else after that. After a while, he rolls over so he's lying down, and I am on top of him. I rest my head on his chest and grip his shirt tightly. We had spent all night crying, sleeping, crying, apologizing to each other, crying, and more crying. At some point he had been the only one crying as I rubbed his back while the sobs shook his body. During that time, Derek kept apologizing for being so terrible to me. He swore up and down he never meant what he said the night of his drunkenness. I could only say I love him, and he stopped crying. Other times he stared at the wall as I sobbed while he stroked my hair. We had bonded again. I can feel we are back to those times when we could tell each other everything. Our reunion is bittersweet given the circumstances, but I like to think this is what Jesse would have wanted: the family united.

I inhale sharply. I will never know what he would have wanted because he's gone. Derek pulls me even closer and wraps the comforter around me. He can feel the goosebumps rising up my arms. I feel cold but this cold is inside me. This cold is part of his absence and will never go away. Still I let Derek comfort me and rub my arms in the hopes he can chase away the sorrow with the friction of his hand on my arm.

"What's going to happen now?" I ask him after several minutes of silence as we stare up at the stars on my ceiling.

He shrugs under me. "I don't know. Dad is pissed off, but he doesn't want to start a war with the hunters. Not with so many of us young and others human."

I bite my lip. A war with the hunters? That cannot end well. We will die or they will. I don't want more deaths. I glance up at Derek and notice his jaw twitches, his body is rigid and hard as rock, and his eyes are blue once again. He's angry and… what is that emotion? Betrayal? Heartbreak?

"Derek?" I frown up at him willing him to look down at me, but he refuses. "Derek? What's going on?"

"Nothing," he replies abruptly kissing my forehead.

I want to pressure him into telling me what's bothering him, besides Jesse's death, but I decide against it. I have hope that with our renewed bond, he will to talk to me whenever he's ready. Before I can ask him what he wants to happen, a knock on the door makes me jump a little. He rubs my arms one last time and gives me a quick kiss on the forehead before going to open the door. Uncle Peter stands in the hallway wearing all dark clothing, hair styled back and face free of stubble and fresh. He is holding a bag of clothes from Macy's. His face is stoic when he sees Derek all tousled and figuratively wearing my bed sheets. When Uncle Peter looks at me wrapped around the comforter and with puffy red eyes, his face softens.

"I know," I give him a sad and weak smile I had meant to be reassuring. "I look like shit. I feel like shit. Pardon my language."

Uncle Peter steps inside and sets the bag on my desk chair. "We all feel like shit baby girl," he says as he sits on my bed and pulls my head on his lap.

"I'm going to shower," Derek announces as he shuts the door behind him, and Uncle Peter nods at him. As soon as the door is closed, I miss Derek already.

"You need to shower too," Uncle Peter informs me though he keeps my head on his lap as he plays with my tangled hair. "The funeral is in a couple of hours."

"So soon?" I feel fresh tears spring to my eyes.

"There's no reason to wait," he says softly as his thumbs wipe the running tears. "We all want to put Jesse to rest."

"Why were the cops here?" I ask remembering the two patrol cars.

I feel Uncle Peter stiffen a little. I look up and see the vein that twitches when he's angry at me, but he tries to control himself. "They wanted to know if we wanted to press charges and launch an investigation."

"What did Uncle Adam say?"

"No, of course," he snorts and shakes his head. "I feel terrible for Julie. She deserves to bring justice to her son, but Adam and Grace don't want to get more humans involved. I think…" Uncle Peter trails off when he meets my eyes.

"What?" He doesn't say anything and looks away. "You want to go after the hunters don't you?"

After a pause and a deep breath, Uncle Peter answers with passion in his voice. "They deserve to be ripped apart. First Andre and now his son? This has gone too far." He finishes with a growl deep in his throat.

I have seen Uncle Peter angry before but never this angry. He looks ready to shift and chase after the hunters to rip them apart. This Uncle Peter scares me a little. Yes, Jesse and Aunt Julie deserve justice and the hunters must pay, but at what cost? More deaths. They kill us. We kill them in retribution. They kill us again. We kill them. And the pattern repeats until either of us is wiped out.

"But don't worry," Uncle Peter says as my concern of more death must be written all over my face. "For now, we will do nothing. We have to heal over our recent loss. Adam needs to recuperate. Once we are all in top shape, we will see what to do next." He gets up from my bed and kneels next to me. "Sky, you have to promise me something."

"Anything."

"You will not roam around town without the company of one of us. Listen. Andre, Sarah, Julie and you will always be in the company of us wolves. We are protecting each other not just you. Promise."

"Ok. I promise." And I mean it. I don't want to cause Uncle Peter more worry, and if I can protect my family, I will.

"That's my girl!" He smiles then kisses the top of my head. "Now, we have to get ready."

I nod and despite my impulse to just lie in bed until I die, I get up because I have to be strong. I have to be strong for the family I have left.

To suffer in silence magnifies the pain and sorrow, but that pain and sorrow makes you stronger. But to share the common pain and sorrow with the family, we will grow closer stronger as a family. I suffer in silence as I watch Jesse's casket being lowered into the ground to his final and permanent resting place. The knot in my throat threatens to choke me to death if I don't scream and cry out while my eyes are burning with the unshed tears. But watching Aunt Julie cling to Uncle Adam like he's her lifeline, I don't allow myself to cry. I stand tall hoping that my strength will go out to her. I suffer along with my loved ones too as I hold Andre's hand tightly with my right and Derek's with my left. Laura and Sophie hold baby Tyler and Dylan respectively. I watch the babies unaware of what's going on as they tug on Chase's hair and giggle. Oh, to be young and innocent. What I wouldn't give to not understand pain that can't be taken away with a kiss or a band aid. To mend our broken hearts will require a shit load of band aids.

The final mound of dirt covers Jesse's casket, and it makes the tragedy all the more real. His body will rot down there where the maggots will eat his brain and everything that made him up. Moments like this make me hope that there is an afterlife because I want to see him again. I want to tell him that I love him; he is my family. I want to give him his Angry Birds shirt. The abyss in my chest gets bigger and bigger as I watch a hysterical Sarah hold on to Uncle Peter, Aunt Julie faints, and Andre grips my hand so tightly, I feel he's going to break it. I hold him back as tightly as I can providing him with the measly amount of strength I have left inside me.

Mercifully the funeral ends soon as I feel like my fake bravado is going to crumble. I need someone time alone. I need someone to talk to. Someone I have told my problems to since I was seven. I need to see Mom. Uncle Peter is not happy about letting me visit her. It's not that he doesn't want me to see her; he just doesn't want me to be alone. Derek volunteers to stay with me just like I knew he would. However his presence defeats the purpose. I hoped to get some release by talking to Mom, but with Derek around, I can't let go and cry like a baby. But it's Derek or home where I'll have no option but to swallow the knot. I chose the former.

As Derek and I make our way to Mom's grave, he interlaces our hands together and walks silently next to me. His eyes are slightly red but otherwise he seems to be suffering in silence and be strong for everybody like me. I lean my head against his arm, and he lets go of my hand opting to wrap it around my waist. When we reach Mom's grave, I kneel and touch her tombstone lovingly. And I can't hold the tears anymore, so I let go letting the tears blind me and the sobs to shake my body. I don't even care that Derek is watching, and I'm supposed to suffer in silence, at least in front of the Hales. Derek kneels next to me as the sobs shake me violently as if I am having a seizure or as if I'm a cat spitting a hairball. The knot does feel like a hairball stuck in my throat not allowing the oxygen to enter and leave my lungs. Derek holds me for a while until the sobs subside.

"I need… to be… alone for… a minute," I suck the air in as if I have been drowning. Crying like I just did really helped to undo the knot. Now it is smaller; it's still choking me but not killing me slowly.

"I'm not leaving you," he says wiping my face gently with his fingertips.

"Please," I beg him feeling new tears coming. He shouldn't see me like this. I'm only adding more pain to his pain. "I'm fine. I just need to talk to her for a while."

"You can do that with me here," he replies stubbornly.

"I'm embarrassed," I lie. "Please. Just a couple of minutes. You can go on to town, and I'll meet you by the ice cream parlor across your bar."

He frowns at me probably wondering how I know he still hangs out at the bar even though Uncle Adam prohibited him especially after he showed up drunk. I know many things like the fact that Uncle Adam is thinking about shutting down the bar for serving minors. Or the fact that Sophie is pregnant, but I'm sure the wolves already know that or will with their superhuman abilities. Derek hesitates but soon gives in. He makes me swear to call him or yell if I need him before he gives me a kiss on my cheek and leaves murmuring to himself.

Once he is gone, I turn back to my mom. "Hi," I whisper as I touch her tombstone. "Sorry I didn't bring any flowers. I was here for Jesse's funeral." I wipe my nose with the back of my hand. "Hopefully you'll meet him in heaven or wherever it is you go when you die." I pause for a second because I thought I heard something. When the sound doesn't repeat, I continue with a lower voice. "Mommy, I miss you so much. I wish you were here to give me more strength and courage. I have to confess Mommy. I am so scared. I have this really bad feeling in my chest that something bad is going to happen. I can't explain it and now with what happened with Jesse, I'm afraid the hunters…"

I stop talking once again when the sound of footsteps is clearly audible and moving towards me. I stand up trying to look over all the gravestones and searching for the stranger or strangers as I suddenly hear footsteps coming from every direction. My breathing increases and my body stiffens with both panic and readiness. If the hunters are here, I will face them alone because I am not risking Derek. I won't call for him preferring to die before something terrible happens to any of my remaining family members.

"Hello sweetheart," the stranger I rescued a bird with steps from behind a statue. "I thought I heard voices."

I suck in air nosily unaware I had stopped breathing. I clutch my chest and find my heart racing. "You scared the shit out of me."

Shaking my head, I realize my stupidity. I should have called Derek because if Dante, I think it's his name, had been a hunter or many hunters, I couldn't have stood a chance. They would cut me in half or shot me. They'd leave my body to rot in the forest or at the bottom of a lake. I swallow loudly and consider calling Derek but now I'm curious. What is Dante doing here? Ok Sky, call Derek. This guy is seriously a stalker, and you should be running for the hills.

"What a naughty mouth," his voice makes me jump a little as I come out of my deep thoughts. "I personally have a naughty mouth too." He chuckles. "But I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you." I nod my head and look at my shoes. "I came to visit my ex-wife," he continues. "I heard voices. I didn't know it was you."

"Oh," is all I say as I chide myself for thinking the world revolves around me. He looks expectantly at me probably wondering who I'm visiting. "Um, I'm visiting my mom. We just buried my cousin." My voice cracks at the end and because I don't want to cry in front of a stranger, I clear my throat. "Anyway, I should go my cousin is waiting for me. Goodbye."

After kissing Mom's tombstone and silently promising her to bring flowers next time, I walk hastily away without glancing at Dante. However, I soon hear his footsteps following after me. I resist the urge to run as I don't like strangers walking behind me in a desolate place like the cemetery. But he's not a stranger right? What do I know about him though? Nothing. I know his name, he has buddies at the fire department, and he has a dead ex-wife. That's it. I don't know if he's remarried or what he does for a living. Hell, I don't even know his last name. Dante is still very much a stranger, and I should be running or calling Derek. Yet, I don't do either of those things, and I don't know why.

"Wait, sweetheart," he calls jogging lightly to catch up to me.

"It's Sky," I say instead of screaming at him to leave me alone. "And you know it."

"Yes, yes I do," he chuckles quietly before his face distorts in… guilt? Shame? Sorrow? Pity? "I'm sorry for your loss."

I shrug. "My mom died when I was four. Long ago." I look down at my hands as I walk. Sure Mom's death still hurts me, but I don't remember her well. Uncle Peter doesn't talk about her or my father. He says it hurts him to talk about Mom, and he doesn't know much about Dad. I can't really miss whom I don't know much of.

"Yes," he sighs and his shoulders drop lower as he walks next to me. I watch him out of the corner of my eyes and finally take a good look at him. He looks tired and older than last time I saw him when we rescued the birds. His dark hair is grayer, his eyes are ringed with wrinkles, and there are bags under his pretty brown eyes. He also looks like he lost weight. "I guess I'm sorry for both of your losses. I know it's hard to lose someone you love. I lost my ex-wife nine years ago and soon afterwards my daughter." He glances at me and smiles sadly. "I remarried, but she kicked me out for mistakes I made. Loss after loss."

Seeing him so sad tugs at my heart. Poor guy. "I'm sorry for your losses too."

As we continue to walk in silence through the cemetery, I wonder just how he lost his ex-wife and daughter. Are they both buried here? And what did he do to lose his second wife? What mistakes could he have made to make his wife so angry at him? I don't dare ask because it's none of my business besides I doubt he'd tell me. I am a stranger to him as well. Of course for some odd reason we keep running into each other and then there's the always constant feeling of déjà vu.

"I haven't seen you in a while." He says suddenly with a strained chuckle. "I went back to Dr. Deaton's to check on the birds and when I asked him about you, he didn't know about you either. I thought you had fallen of the face of the earth."

I shrug taking notice of how his voice almost cracked. A sudden thought occurs to me, do I look like his daughter and that's why he seems to take a liking towards me? The world doesn't revolve around you, I remind myself. "I was grounded for a while." I say answering his unspoken question of my whereabouts.

"Grounded? Why?" His fists clench and unclench in the blink of an eye.

"I, uh, kneed one of my cousins in the balls." I sigh.

Kicking Derek's balls seems like it happened forever ago when it really has been probably two weeks ago. I turn to Dante as we stop at the gates of the cemetery. He looks relieved and amused at the reason I was grounded. He chuckles quietly as he crosses his arms over his chest.

"So you've been grounded all this time? That's extreme for kicking someone in the balls. Pray tell, why did you kick your cousin's manhood?"

"Well, to make a long story short, he pissed me off." I shrug again. "And no I haven't been grounded the whole time. I went with my uncle to New York for a while too."

"I see," his eyes soften as he uncrosses his arms. "You found out about your cousin while you were there?"

I nod my head remembering Uncle Peter's fury when he talked to Uncle Adam in the middle of the night. Knowing what I now know, Uncle Peter's anger is understandable. He wants to make the hunters pay, but Uncle Adam doesn't want to risk anymore of us dying. For the little snippet of conversation I heard this morning, Uncle Peter wants to make a bigger pack by biting people outside of our family, but Uncle Adam is refusing. I'm not sure how I feel about revenge even though I have practiced it before. Because even though I'm angry, I know this sort of revenge will only bring about more death whether it's the hunters' or ours. But Jesse deserves justice. He was just a kid and a good kid. No matter what he did, he didn't deserve to die. Angry and sorrowful tears spring to my eyes. Dante's breath catches when he sees one fat tear spilling and rolling down my right cheek.

"Oh sweetheart," he steps forward as if to hug me.

"I'm fine," I say wiping my face and taking a step away from him. "I have to go."

I take off towards the ice cream parlor I told Derek I would meet him. I don't look back at Dante as I just keep going. I don't need a stranger's pity. I don't need pity period. Making my way to the ice cream parlor, I keep wiping my face because I don't want Derek to see I have been crying even though he probably knows I have. Thinking of Derek makes me realize just how much I miss him. I know I just saw him a while ago, but he brings comfort and security to me. When I reach the ice cream parlor, I get this urge to look over to the bar across the street. My hand drops from the door handle when I see through the window a woman wrapped around Derek and kissing him as they sit by the bar.

Slamming the door to the house, I stomp towards the stairs as my chest rises and falls rapidly in anger and pain but mostly anger. Seeing Derek with that woman made my blood boil and my skin crawl. I didn't see her well, but I just know that she is Derek's mysterious girlfriend. Before I did something stupid, I took off home also before Derek or his secret girlfriend saw me.

"Sky," Uncle Peter calls from the kitchen.

I mutter a curse and descend the stairs to head to the kitchen. I find him making sandwiches and tea. I lean against the doorway and tap my foot impatiently knowing I need to go to my room and cry or punch something.

"Yes?"

"Why are you slamming doors and stomping everywhere? Please be silent." He chastises gently.

"Fine," I mutter. "Can I go now?"

"What's wrong?" He asks when he finally looks up from his sandwich making and takes a look at my flushed in anger face. "Where's Derek?"

"I don't know, and I don't care." I grumble as I turn around and race quietly up to my room.

Once inside, I lock the door and quickly change out of my black dress into my pajamas. As I do so, the tears finally spill. How can Derek do this to me? Well, I did it to myself. I should have let him stay with me instead of letting him go to seek solace with his whore. I clench my jaw to keep from screaming as I remember the woman with her back to me as she sat on Derek's lap and kissed him. He had his hands buried in her long hair as he kissed her back fervently. My stomach clenches and hurts so bad, I crumble against the wall of my closet. As I hold my stomach, I hear the front door open and close. He's home.

"What the hell did I tell you?" I hear Uncle Peter roar down stairs.

"She asked me for a couple of minutes alone," Derek replies quietly.

"I told you not to leave her alone!" Uncle Peter continues to shout even after he asked me to be silent. "What did you do to her anyway?"

"What do you mean?" Derek asks perplexed, and I can only imagine his frown.

"She looks upset," Uncle Peter says calmer. "She didn't tell me why, and by the look on your face, you don't know either. Go find out and fix it."

I get up from the floor still clutching my stomach and climb into bed pulling the covers tightly around me. His footsteps move up the stairs, to the left, through the hallway, and stop at my door. The door knob turns as he tries to open. He sighs exasperated and tired.

"Sky?" He knocks softly. "Open up." I don't make a single movement. "I know you're in there. I hear your breathing, and I can pick up the sound of your heart from miles away."

I snort. How did you not pick up the sound of my heart outside that bar? Oh that's right! You were busy shoving your disgusting tongue down your whore's STDs infected mouth! I bite on the inside of my cheeks to keep from shouting those words at him because then the whole house, plus him, will know how I feel about him.

"Come on!" A part of his body hits the door. "Open the door. I thought you didn't want to be angry with me? Why are you even angry with me?"

Damn him. Of course I don't want to be angry with him, but he makes it so fucking hard. Sure he doesn't know how I feel or that I saw him kissing his whore. But how dare he prance around with that whore wrapped around him and doing who knows what behind closed doors? How dare he fall in love? Did he fall in love? I don't want to know. I don't even want to talk to him.

"Just go away," I whisper knowing he'll hear me.

"Talk to me first," he replies struggling with the door knob. "Tell me why you are pissed off at me. I don't even know what I did this time. I want to fix it."

I snort again. I doubt he'll leave his whore for me. My eyelids begin to droop as I feel the weight of the day on me. First Jesse's funeral, visiting Mom, the fear of the hunters, and seeing Derek with his whore make me feel exhausted and like I need to hibernate for a year. Not able to keep my eyes open, I fall asleep with tears still spilling through my closed eyes. As I become lost in the world of dreams, I hear something break and hit the floor. I still don't wake up.

By the time I wake up, it's nighttime outside. My stomach grumbles reminding me I haven't eaten anything all day. I roll over and stretch my arms over my head suddenly jumping out of bed when I see Derek lying down next to me. His green eyes glow unusually in the dark as he watches me with his bushy eyebrows meeting in the middle. I back away from him suddenly disgusted knowing he had that whore wrapped around him earlier. I bet his clothes smell of her. AS I turn to leave, he sits up in bed and mumbles something I don't hear as I am shockingly staring at my door broken in half and hanging loosely of its hinges.

"What the hell?" I whisper turning to glare at him. "You owe me a new door." I growl as I make my way out of my room, and he struggles to untangle himself from my bed sheets.

Before he catches up to me, I race to Laura's room on the opposite wing of the house. I don't even knock on her door because Derek is so closely behind, so I rush inside and manage to slam the door on his face. After locking the door, I turn to face Laura. She's sitting at her desk chatting with some friends. She briefly glances at me and smiles nodding her head towards her bed letting me know to get comfortable. It never ceases to amaze me how supportive Laura is and just how amazing she is over all. Derek doesn't bother to knock on the door or try to coax me into talking to him. For some reason, Derek avoids confrontations with Laura and Sophie even Aunt Grace. If I was talking to him, I would ask him, but since I am not speaking to him… I groan and wrap around me Laura's purple and pink polka dotted comforter. As Laura keeps typing away, I stare at her wall covered with posters of all the places she wants to go and the bands she loves. Sighing, I can't help think how hard life is with Derek around. Unaware of it, he's slowly killing me. Maybe I should take Uncle Peter's offer and go off to study abroad. Laura's typing soon rocks me to sleep as my brain keeps pondering if putting an ocean between Derek and me will help me forget how much I love him.

Two days pass by and I still don't talk to Derek. He keeps begging me to tell him what he did wrong this time, but I simply ignore him as if he doesn't exist. After hitting him in the groin, he seems to know better than to touch me when I'm angry, so I have been successful in avoiding him. The rest of the household is silent as a tomb. Aunt Julie takes care of the twins as Sarah spends her time locked up in Jesse's room. She has taken his death the hardest. Andre on the other hand is fully concentrated in school. He has quit the soccer team and spends his free time locked up in his room studying his brain to death. Chase is spending too much time out and seems to be following Derek's footsteps in hanging out with whores and low lives. Aunt Grace and Sophie are dealing with Sophie's pregnancy as it finally came out. Laura has become Mama Wolf as she makes sure Andre and me are properly fed. Uncle Adam hasn't been seen in a while, and Uncle Peter tells me he's practically living in his studio burying himself with work to forget his failure as an Alpha. Uncle Peter seems to be the only one holding his marbles and his posture together. Derek, well, as I said he tries to coax me into talking while the rest of the time he spends with his whore.

I, on the other hand, still feel the abyss that Jesse's death left, and Derek's betrayal adds more depth to the abyss. I can't get out of my head the image of Derek kissing that woman. I can't stop thinking about the things they are probably doing in his car or in the darkest corner of the bar. Every night, I cry myself quietly to sleep as I wonder if Derek is in love. Sometimes I stand in the mirror and pretend to confess my love for him. Never do I actually do it. Josh makes me feel a little better about my shitty life. On the third day after Jesse's death, I finally take Josh's offer to go out at least for ice cream. I accept for several reasons. One, the kid is persistent texting me even during class, which he never did. During PE, he would not stop asking me literally every five minutes if I had changed my mind about going out again. I kept telling him I wasn't ready to go out after what happened to Jesse. Second reason I accepted, because Jesse had died and everyone at home is going nuts, I need to go out and breathe a little. Third, the ice cream place is still across the street from Derek's bar where now I know is where he meets his whore.

My plan is now to follow Derek and find out exactly how he feels about the whore. Josh will help me accomplish that. All I have to do now is ask Uncle Peter permission to go out. To my surprise, he doesn't even hesitate to say yes. I can tell he's probably thinking this will distract me from all the stuff going on. So he gives me his blessing and makes me promise to return home before ten. As I rummage through my closet, Derek waltzes inside as I still don't have a door just a bed sheet hanging to give me a small sense of privacy. Derek still hasn't gotten around to replacing my door, and Uncle Peter won't step in and fix my door as he says Derek must learn responsibility. I wish Uncle Peter wasn't so parental sometimes because Derek's condition to fix my door is for me to talk to him. I rather live with the bed sheet as my door.

"I hear you're going out," he says as he sits on my bed.

I keep rummaging through my clothes and ignore him. "Are you going out with Josh?"

I pull out a red dress with a low neck line and pretend to consider it. "That's too short and shows too much." He growls at me.

Tossing the dress on the bed, I pull out a strapless yellow dress. "You shouldn't go out with him."

"Why not?" I finally snap. How dare he think he has any say at all in whom I date? He is dating a whore after all. I turn to face him with my hands on my hips. "You have no say in my private life."

"He's not good enough for you," I see a smile twitch on his lips as I have finally talked to him. "I know I can't dictate your life but-"

"There are not buts Derek Hale," I shout as I make my way to the bathroom deciding to wear the yellow dress. "It's my life. Stay out of it." I slam the bathroom door on his face and start the shower.

By the time I come out of the shower, Derek is finishing up fixing my door. Once he is done, he stands there watching me brush my hair and apply a small amount of makeup. His scrutiny makes me nervous, so I turn to glare at him in a 'what-are-you-looking-at' kind of way. Finally, he sighs and leaves to get ready for his own date. That thought makes me want to punch my mirror but that would hurt a lot. I should be punching his whore or him. I sigh and shake off the violent thoughts and finish up getting ready for my date with Josh.

"You look pretty," Josh comments as we make our way to the ice cream parlor.

"Thanks," I reply giving him a small smile.

To piss Derek off, at the last minute I changed into the red dress he said was too short. Luckily for me, he was leaving just as I was going down the stairs. He stared at me as he kept his hand on the door knob. I enjoyed seeing his jaw almost literally hit the floor and his eyes bug out of his sockets. Then his eyebrows met in the middle as I made my way past him as if wondering whether I was seriously going to go out wearing that. I climbed on Uncle Peter's car and waited for him. As I pretended to text, I heard Derek ask Uncle Peter whether I was allowed to leave the house looking like this.

"I bought her that dress in New York," Uncle Peter chuckled. "She looks gorgeous doesn't she?"

Derek hadn't looked too happy with Uncle Peter's response. I snickered as Uncle Peter made his way to the car. Of course now, I am sort of regretting the dress choice. I didn't pick a jacket to cover up a little, and now I had Josh drooling and his ice cream melting. Sighing, I cross my arms over my chest and eat my frozen yogurt as I scan across the street for Derek. Josh and I had chosen a table outside where I could keep a good watch on the whore and the man whore. So far, I haven't seen either of them, and I am questioning whether this was a good idea. I doubt they hang out in the same place all the time.

Just when I am about to quit and ask Josh if he wants to go somewhere else, an obnoxious laughter makes me look across the street again. Derek is looking at the ground with a clear smirk on his face while the whore has her arms wrapped around him laughing like a fucking witch. My eyes narrow on her perfectly manicured fingernails on Derek's shoulder. Oh how I want to break every single finger or just every damn bone in her skinny body. I want to rip out that perfectly beautiful and shiny dirty blonde hair of hers. With my knuckles, I want to punch her mouth until her pearly white teeth fall off and her lips are a bloody mess. I don't even care that she's tall; she's far too skinny and old. Oh boy is she old. She's in her early twenties. What the fuck is she doing with a sixteen year old? Pedophile.

"What the fuck is he thinking?" I growl out loud.

"What?" Josh follows my angry gaze to Derek and his whore getting in his car and driving away.

The asshole didn't even see me sitting practically in front of him! _I can pick up the sound of your heart from miles away, _he said. Can he hear my heart breaking into a million pieces right in front of him? I doubt it. He's probably too busy gazing lovingly at his pedophile whore. After seeing Derek drive away with his whore to who knows where, I ask Josh to take me home. With a frown and clear disappointment, Josh calls his mom to pick us up. As we wait, Josh decides to question my reasons for leaving.

"Did I do something wrong?" He asks looking at the ground.

"No," I lean my head on his shoulder. "I just don't feel so good."

He wraps his arm around me and gives me a gentle squeeze. This is what I need. Some comfort. "Is it because of your cousin?"

I stiffen. How did he figure out how I feel about Derek? Oh shit. Did my behavior make it that obvious? Before I defend myself or try to explain that I want to move on, Josh continues.

"It must be pretty awkward to see your cousin on a date," he chuckles. "I know I feel awkward when my older sister hangs out with her boyfriend at home. I sort of understand your cousin's behavior towards us, but he still is creepy." He finishes with a grimace as he remembers when Derek had him against a tree chocking him to death.

I sigh relieved that Josh doesn't know anything. Then again how could he? I'm pretty sure I've been good at keeping my feelings to myself. "Yeah, that's it." I take Josh's excuse that I feel awkward after seeing my cousin out with the pedophile whore.

We don't say anything after that and soon his mom comes to pick us up. As I'm climbing off the car, Josh stops me and asks if we can redo our ice cream outing. I answer yes because I want to find out more about the pedophile whore. So tomorrow after school, Josh is going to walk me to Dr. Deaton's and on the way we'll stop for ice cream. I wave to him and his mom goodbye and run inside needing to cry my heartbreak out. No one stops me as I make my way to my room and for that I am thankful. Before I start crying, I make sure to lock the door and change into more comfortable clothing. Then, I climb on my bed and start to cry.

How can my heart break so many times and still function? Over and over something has to happen that keeps shattering the already small shards of my heart into smaller pieces. Whether it is death or Derek, I am always breaking apart more and more. The abyss in my chest hurts as it keeps becoming deeper and deeper. Why must I love Derek? Why did I have to fall in love with him? Why you stupid, dumb heart? Stop loving him, I beg. But when I think of no longer loving Derek, it hurts me more, if that even makes sense. Not loving Derek would be like not breathing, not living, no nothing. Not loving Derek is pure and unending emptiness. The stars will fall from the sky, the sun would not rise, the clouds will be dark, and winter will settle forever in my heart because Derek is my sun, the air in my lungs, the breeze through my hair, the reason my heart beats. He would be the moon I would howl for if I were a werewolf. I prefer to love him hopelessly even if it means I die everyday.

"I love you Derek," I whisper into my pillow as I begin to drift into sleep after who knows how long of crying. "You have me howling for you." I chuckle as unconsciousness takes over me.

Tall with shiny dirty blonde hair, slim with voluminous chest, old with experience, and not me. Those are the things I know for a fact about Derek's mysterious pedophile whore. I don't know her name, last name, profession or address. I glare at her as she takes a swing out of the bottle of beer in her hands. She throws her head back and laughs. I remember her laughter: cold and witch like. Just seeing her even through the window of the bar makes my skin crawl and vomit to rise up my esophagus. My fists clench and unclench every couple of seconds as I wait for Josh to come out with our ice creams. To my relief Derek is not with her at the moment. I don't think I could take another sight of them kissing, touching, laughing, and loving each other. My eyes feel on fire with the coming tears that I quickly blink away. This is not the place or time to cry. It will be when I am at home hidden under the bed sheets ignoring Uncle Peter's pleas to go downstairs for food.

"Sky?" I tear my eyes away from the bar at the sound of his voice. "What are you doing here?" He looks over to the bar then at me. I can only guess what runs through his head as he sees his pedophile whore still laughing and talking to her buddies. When he looks back at me, his eyes show understanding, panic and even shame.

"Getting some ice cream with Josh," I say realizing I sound hollow of emotion. Well, that is how I feel after all. "What cha doing?" I ask him as I rest my elbows on the table and return to my glaring of his pedophile whore.

Derek doesn't answer my question as he keeps twirling the keys in his hands nervously. "Do you know?" I nod my head still glaring at the woman. He sighs and sits in front of me blocking my view. "You weren't supposed to find out." He says more to himself than me.

I snort. Did he seriously think neither the family nor I would ever find out who his secret girlfriend is? We were bound to find out eventually. Oh the fit Uncle Adam will throw once he finds out Derek is with an older woman. Uncle Adam will without a doubt prosecute the woman because poor Dee is being abused. As if. Derek must think the same I am because he leans forward and looks deep into my eyes.

"Don't tell anyone," he pleads. "Promise me, Sky."

"How do you know I haven't told anyone?" I say leaning away from him.

"Because bad shit is going to happen if you tell," he mutters darkly. "Don't tell."

"I don't take commands," I cross my arms and glare at him. "She's a pedophile."

"Don't say that," he glowers. "You don't know anything about our relationship."

"I don't want to know," I scowl back.

He sighs and rubs his face tiredly. "Please. I beg you don't tell…"

"Here you go," Josh interrupts whatever Derek was about to say. "Oh sorry. Am I interrupting?"

"No," I smile at Josh as I take my ice cream and stand up. "I think we should get going. Bye Derek."

Without another glance at him, I take Josh's hand and I steer him away towards Dr. Deaton's clinic. Josh begins to chat away about random stuff as I just nod and lick my butter pecan ice cream. What did Derek mean shit is going to happen? Is he referring to Uncle Adam suing the pedophile whore? Is Derek afraid for his beloved girlfriend? Who is she anyway? I need to find out and tell Uncle Adam as soon as possible because I don't take commands, and Derek can't be with her. She's wrong for him; I just know it.

"Sky?" Josh waves his hand in front of me stopping my self loathing and torture. "You're not even listening." He sighs. "What's wrong? Did you fight with your cousin?"

I shake my head and realize the mess on my hands. My ice cream melted. Throwing it away, I sigh. "No. Well, kind of. He's dating someone he shouldn't."

He frowns throwing away his own peach ice cream. "You shouldn't get involved, Sky. Just like you don't like him getting in your private life, you shouldn't get into his."

"I know," I groan looking up at the sky. "I know, but I have a feeling she's not good for him. I can't explain it." We reach Dr. Deaton's clinic, and I turn to give Josh a peck on his cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ok," he says turning around to leave then stops. "Don't get involved ok?"

"I'll try," I say knowing that is not possible. I can't just not get involved when I get a feeling in the pit of my stomach that something bad is coming out of this. Uncle Peter has taught me to always trust my instincts.

"Sky," Dr. Deaton's eyes bug out of his sockets when he sees me standing outside of his office. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to work," I frown. "Do you not want me to help you anymore?"

"It's not that," he gets up grimacing a little. "I just don't think you should be here."

"Why…" I trail off when Dr. Deaton holds his side as he moves towards me. "Jesse… he bit you?" I finish as tears spring to my eyes, and I rush to hug Dr. Deaton.

For a while, Dr. Deaton holds me as I cry for him and Jesse, the two victims. I cry for Dr. Deaton because he's now doomed to being at the bottom of the chain, and the hunters will be after him too. When I ask him if he knows about us now, he says he has always known. He is the one that treats the wolves when they are injured. I never knew that. He apparently knows about being an Omega, but he's not worried as Uncle Adam has talked to him.

"The Hales will protect me just like I have done all these years," Dr. Deaton says as he wipes my tears with a tissue. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine. The hunters are satisfied that I'm not a full out werewolf."

My lips quiver still feeling sad for him and Jesse. Dr. Deaton doesn't go into the details of the night he was bitten, and for that I am thankful. I don't want to know what happened, how much it hurt, or how the hunters found out. Sometimes blissful ignorance is preferable. We talk for a while longer, and Dr. Deaton tells me the only set backs on his new abilities are the fact he craves raw meat and the animals fear him a little. On the positive side, his senses of smell and hearing have become acute.

"Sky?" Laura calls from the lobby. "I'm here to pick you up." She says as Dr. Deaton and I stand behind the counter.

I nod and hug Dr. Deaton before leaving with Laura. We walk silently as I keep crying quietly still worrying for Dr. Deaton. Even though he says Uncle Adam will protect him, I can't help but think that the hunters will always breathing down his neck. Why can't they leave us alone? Why can't they just go hunt vampires or something? Laura and I pass the bar on our way home. The pedophile whore is about to climb on a dark red SUV; she stops as she opens the driver's door and glares at us. I feel Laura stiffen next to me as she pushes me as far away as possible from the bar. She picks up her pace pulling me along as she grasps my arm tightly. I frown as I look back at the pedophile whore looking after us with a smirk on her lips that makes my skin crawl. Laura doesn't stop until we are almost home and even then she keeps glancing over her shoulder, and I can feel her being on high alert. Then it hits me. Laura knows the pedophile whore.

"Who was she?" I ask Laura quietly.

"Kate Argent," She replies baring her teeth in obvious anger and hatred.

What is left of my heart finally shatters completely at Laura's words. Derek's mysterious girlfriend is an Argent. He's sleeping with a hunter's daughter.

**I'm sorry for the weak writing towards the end, but after a while, I began to feel detached from the story. I'm sort of still mourning and tired from the fly back.**


	11. Inferno

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf**

**Hey guys sorry for the late update. I still haven't found a laptop. People on craigslist are so picky! Grr. So I had to type like a hundred pages from my notebook (who loves the smell of ink? I do!) using my sister's laptop. Also thanks for the reviews and kind words regarding my godfather; I appreciate it. Special shout out to **Loupe- Garou **who caught the **_trust your instincts_** reference! Did anyone else catch that? LOL**

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Chapter 10: Inferno

_Sky_

I nod my head numbly when Laura asks me if I'm all right. But of course I am far from all right. Laura has revealed to me the identity of Derek's not so mysterious girlfriend without her being aware of it. And oh boy what a shocking revelation… Derek is having an affair with a hunter. How can he do this to the family? How can he do this to me? My body shakes as I make my way up to my room without another word to Laura. I sit on my bed and stare at the wall wondering how did this happen. Why did this happen? Out of all the girls in Beacon Hills, Derek had to fall for a freaking Argent. Uncle Peter has told me stories of that family not to scare me but to remind me who is the real enemy. The Argents are a family of hunters ruled by the most despicable and most ruthless man on the planet, Gerard Argent, whom I have not met but heard so much of already. Derek knows all of this, and yet he chooses to date a hunter. A hunter that probably killed Jesse just a couple of days ago. That thought makes me ball my fists in anger as I stalk out of my room. I need to find Derek and knock some sense into him with my fists, or a hammer. I don't even knock on his door and just barge in. He's just coming out of the shower with a towel on his hips, hair dripping wet and small beads of water on his chiseled chest and arms. Damn him. Why does he have to be so damn... No. Focus, Sky. He's doing something bad, really bad. Don't act all lovesick right now, be angry.

"You bastard," I cross the room and shove him. "You bastard!" I snarl.

"What the hell?" He grabs my wrists, but I continue to struggle. Without much effort, he throws me on the bed; however, he looses his footing and falls on top of me. "What the hell is wrong with you?" He breathes out as he keeps me pinned down probably deciding this is the best way to keep me from hurting him or myself.

"What is wrong with _me_?" I shriek like a banshee. "What is wrong with _you_? You are the one dating a hunt-"

"Hush," he hisses covering my mouth with his right hand as he keeps my wrists pinned above me with his other. "Please." His eyes are wide in shock that I have finally found out the truth about his secret girlfriend. "Sky, let me explain. Please?"

My burning eyes can't take it anymore, and I begin to cry. His body tenses up even more, and he looks seriously panicked and lost with wide eyes and shaking body. Oh he never expected me to find out. This is why he wanted me to keep his secret. If I described for Uncle Adam or anyone in the family what the pedophile whore looks like, they would know immediately that Derek is fraternizing with the enemy. Blood will be spilled once this blows up. And me? I have already blown up. My heart doesn't function anymore. There's nothing in my chest but the infinitely growing black abyss. The sobs that rip through me are muffled by Derek's hand still on my mouth. Through the tears, I can see his face distort in guilt and pain. He murmurs my name and leans forward to kiss my cheeks, my forehead, my nose, my chin, and my eyelids trying to soothe me, but his touch suddenly disgusts me. This is probably how he touches _her_.

I begin to trash wildly under him trying to shove him off me not wanting him to touch me while he thinks of his pedophile whore. After a while, he catches on and lets go of me. I race for the door, but he beats me to it slamming it shut and locking it. He blocks the door from me as I pace back and forth like a caged animal seeking a way out. The tears and the sobs continue as I consider going for the window even though the fall will probably break several of my bones if not my neck. But I can't be in the same room with him for several reasons. For one, I am disgusted and angry with him for what he's doing to our family. Second, I must tell Uncle Adam before something terrible happens. Clutching my head, I crumble on the floor and hug my knees to keep the black abyss from swallowing me whole. This can't be happening. I knew the pedophile whore was bad news, but this… This is just appalling.

"Don't tell, please," he begs with a broken voice. "Just let me explain. Sky."

"What are you going to explain?" I screech standing up to face him again. "That you're fucking a hun-"

"Hush!" He races to me and covers my mouth again. "Hush! She's different!"

"The fuck she's not!" I shout shoving him away. "She killed Jesse! She will kill all of us if the chance comes!"

"She didn't kill Jesse," he defends her fervently. "She told me it had been her brother."

"And you believe her?" I shake my head in disbelief. "You are an idiot Derek! Since when do you believe everything the hunters say?"

"Since I met her!" He tugs at his hair and approaches me, but I step back still feeling disgusted, betrayed, angered, heartbroken and a million other emotions that make me feel like I can explode even more. "She's different, I swear, Sky."

"Oh really?" My voice is thick with sarcasm as I narrow my eyes at him. "Pray tell, how is she different? Does she take her victims out for a drink before cutting them in half?"

He sighs. "She didn't choose to be who she is just like I didn't choose to be who I am. She didn't exactly choose to be a hunter."

"But she is!" I sniff and point my finger at him. "She is Argent's daughter! She is using you." I emphasize every word in the hopes of getting to him.

"For what purpose?"

"To kill us all!" I shove him again.

"We are above a petty fight between us and them. Besides what do you care who I date?"

"I care because she has her own agenda against our family." I hiss angrily wondering why I can't get through his thick skull. "She has killed Jesse!"

"I told you she hasn't!" He glowers as he grabs my shoulders and shakes me. "She hasn't! It was her brother." I don't know who he's trying to convince, me or himself. Probably both.

"Let go of me," I say void of emotion.

Sighing, Derek lets go of me, and I lower myself onto his bed defeated. He will defend her tooth and nail. No matter what I say or even Uncle Adam says or does, Derek will defend her. That woman has him wrapped around her little finger or rather body. Burying my face in my hands, I cry a little more for what Derek is doing to the family. Forget that he's breaking my heart by showing how much he cares for her; his relationship with her will kill the family I just know it which is why I must tell Uncle Adam. Should I tell Uncle Adam? This can only end badly with either the hunters dead or us.

I hear Derek fix the towel around his torso; he then kneels in front of me and grabs my wrists gently trying to pry them off my face. I crawl away from him to the far side of his bed. Sighing once again, he sits where I was and rubs his face. I look up at the ceiling as the tears keep rolling down my cheeks. Why did he have to fall for a hunter? I ask the deities up in heaven for some sort of answer or guidance. Why couldn't it have been some normal chick?

"You do realize this affair is making you a traitor," I grip my head as I feel a migraine coming on from all this crying. "You're betraying the family." You are betraying me, I leave unsaid because if he doesn't care for his dad, his sister or Jesse, whom the Argents have killed, then he probably doesn't care about me.

"I know," he whispers into his hands. "But I can't stay away from her. Don't ask me why. I just can't."

"I'm not going to tell Uncle Adam," his breath catches at my words. To be honest, I don't even know what I'm doing or rather saying. I should tell everyone what Derek is doing. The family must be warned, but if Uncle Adam reacts harshly and something happens to her, Derek will be destroyed. I don't want him to hurt. But the family… Oh God. I am so confused. I don't know what to do. "You'll tell him yourself." I say as the idea occurs to me: Derek has to take responsibility for his treacherous actions.

"I can't," he turns to me with tears in his eyes. "Don't make me…"

"If you don't tell Uncle Adam, I will." I interrupt getting up from his bed.

When I reach the door, he doesn't stop me. I guess he's content that I'm not telling the family, yet. Before I leave, I turn to look at him. He has his head in between his hands. He looks utterly defeated as his shoulders slump and he breathes heavily.

"Do you love her?" My vision clouds with tears and the abyss in my chest threatens to swallow me whole. Oh God, I can't handle it if he says he does.

"No," he meets my eyes. "No." He repeats and shakes his head in emphasis. "It's just sex."

"I shouldn't have asked," I slam the door and rush to my room.

I am glad I asked though because hearing him say he doesn't love her and their relationship is physical makes me feel less dead. However, I am not so sure I should believe him. He could be sparing me some pain as he did when I asked him a while ago about his date. Sometimes I really wonder whether he knows how I feel.

Lowering myself onto my own bed, I hug my pillow then thinking better of it, I get up and pull out from the closet the teddy bear Mom gave me for my fourth birthday. Only Teddy can bring me comfort right now or maybe Kitty but that cat comes and goes as he pleases. Hugging Teddy tightly, I let myself have another good old cry.

You're stupid Sky, my mind screams at me. Tell Uncle Adam. Tell Uncle Peter. Tell them what Derek is doing before it's too late. Do it before you regret it. I will tell them, I promise myself. I will tell them, but Derek has to have the chance to break it down to the family. If he doesn't I will. This is his chance at proving whom he loves: us, specifically and selfishly meaning me, or her. Burying my face in Teddy's lavender smelling fur, I cry finally letting the abyss swallow me. Derek loves her not me. He will never love me. Not even if he breaks up the affair; Derek will want a woman not a child. He'll never want you, Sky, my own damn insecurities yell at me adding yet more depth to my abyss.

After I'm done crying what is left of my heart out, I am left with a headache worthy of an entire bottle of aspirins. However, I only take two as I don't want to get my stomach pumped since I feel like my stomach is in turmoil as it is now. Sitting on my desk trying to study for my Anatomy final, I wonder how come no one came to find out why Derek and I were shouting earlier. Wouldn't it have been easier if Uncle Peter or Adam barged in to find out what little Derek is doing with a hunter? I wouldn't have to carry this heavy secret on me putting everyone at risk and making me a traitor just like Derek.

I blow out the air in my lungs and tap my pencil against my forehead definitely not thinking of my final. A soft knock at my door makes me look up from my notes. Derek pokes his head inside and when he is satisfied I'm not throwing anything at him, he enters.

I turn back to my notes with a deep and long sigh. "I don't want to talk you right now. I'm trying to study." I flip the page as Derek sits on my bed.

"I'm sorry," he whispers.

"For what exactly?" I keep flipping the pages as the pain in my head begins to throb harder just thinking of everything Derek should be sorry for.

"Everything. You're right. I am a traitor and believe me, I have been torturing myself over that for the past three months."

I drop my pencil at his words. "Three months?" I groan and bury my hands in my hair. "Jesus Christ, Derek. How have you kept this from everyone for so long?"

"We've been careful," I hear him shrug. "Sky, look at me. Please." I turn in my chair to look at him. He's wearing sweat pants and a white t-shirt. His appearance tells me he hasn't gone out today. "I… I can't leave her, but…"

"Don't." I whisper and point at the door. "I don't want to hear it. Please just let me be for tonight. I am so tired of fighting with you."

"Me too," he gets up from my bed and stands in front of me grabbing my face in his hands gently. "God, Sky. It kills me to fight with you. You're… you're my family."

My dead and shattered heart is ripped out of my chest and thrown across the room at Derek's words. He has admitted to me being only family to him. I have been family zoned for eternity. Sighing defeated, I get up and wrap my arms around him. There's nothing else I can do except make sure he ends the affair with Kate for the good of the family. I am done hurting after him especially after what he has said. I will never be more for him, and that's fine. My little broken heart will have to content itself with being Derek's family. I prefer to be his cousin than nothing at all.

"Just promise me you'll fix this," I tell him as he hugs me back resting his left cheek on my hair.

"I'll see what I can do."

"Ok. Now I really need to study." I step back and give him a weak smile as I sit back on my desk and pretend to read through my notes. Derek kisses my head and leaves me to suffer once again. "I love you." I mouth after him once the door clicks shut and the hot tears roll down my cheeks. Will the heartbreak ever stop even after my heart has been ripped out?

The next couple of days, I make sure to go to the ice cream parlor with Josh. This is my way of looking out for Derek. I need to know if he's ending the affair with Kate otherwise I'll have no choice but to take matters into my own hands. Sitting outside with Josh, I watch through the bar's window as Derek acts like a lovesick puppy holding Kate's waist and kissing her neck. That does not look like he's fixing the situation. Without thinking what I'm doing, I squeeze my ice cream cone with my left hand making a mess. Josh jumps up as the ice cream spills on his pants.

"Woah," he chuckles as I hastily wipe the ice cream from his leg. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," I smile weakly. "I'm sorry."

I stop fussing and stare at Josh as he wipes his pants with the napkin. Hanging out with him doesn't bring me the same happiness it used to. My heart refuses to let go of Derek even after we've been family zoned. If anything my heart is more determined to hang onto Derek Hale. What I'm doing to Josh, using him to spy on Derek and Kate, is not fair. I am no different than Kate using Derek for who knows what evil plot. Swallowing the knot forming in my throat, I grasp Josh's hand knowing I have to break his heart in order to do him a favor. I'm not right for him; I'll just hurt him more in the long run. Josh needs to find someone who will love him unconditionally. He needs and deserves someone who will give him a healthy heart that will only beat for him.

"Josh," I begin before I chicken out and keep Josh because I'm suddenly afraid of being alone all my life hurting over Derek. "I can't… You deserve… We shouldn't…" My breathing becomes ragged and my heart begins to beat violently and rapidly against my chest.

"You're breaking up with me aren't you?" Josh's voice is small and clearly pained.

"Josh," I gasp as my heart beats wildly like a hummingbird threatening to fly out of my chest and leave me dead on the ground. "Please forgive me. I…"

"What's going on here?" Derek suddenly appears behind me placing his hand on my shoulder possessively and protectively. "Is he bothering you Sky?"

"N-no." I stutter.

"Come on," he pulls me gently by the elbow. "I'm taking you home."

"I have to talk to Josh," I protest as he drags me over to his car across the street from the ice cream parlor. "I can't leave things like this."

"He doesn't deserve you Sky," Derek opens the passenger door for me. "It's his loss."

"It's mine though," I whisper seeking Josh out. He's still sitting at the table looking at me with a broken expression on his face. Seeing him like that kills me because I know exactly what he feels. I know exactly what it feels like to have someone rip your heart out, tear it into million pieces, step all over it, and expect it to keep beating. "I broke up with him. Please let me talk to him."

"You broke up with him?" He frowns as he looks back to where Josh is or was. He's gone now. He has no reason to stay; he must be picking up the pieces of his heart, which I broke. "Get in the car." Derek commands gently but obviously leaving no room for discussion.

Since Josh is gone, I get in the car. Hopefully, I can call Josh later or maybe I should wait until tomorrow at school. I should talk to him in person, so he sees how much it hurts me to let him go, but it is for the best. As I buckle up, Kate comes out of the bar and glares at Derek while she places her hands on her hips.

"Where are you going?" She demands.

"I'm taking my cousin home," he replies twirling the keys in his hands. "I'll see you tonight."

"Maybe you won't," the woman threatens as she arches her left eyebrow deviously.

Derek steps closer to her, and they seem to engage in an argument. The woman looks over Derek's shoulder and scowls at me. I scowl right back, but she doesn't see it as she turns her attention back to Derek. The lovers exchange more angry words then Derek turns around and climbs into the car. As Derek drives away, I look in the rearview mirror and find Kate smirking as she taps her chin. I look away feeling chills all over me because of her devilish look. How can Derek love someone who is clearly and undoubtedly evil?

Wrapping my arms around myself, I stare out the window. I can no longer feel anything. It's really like I have no heart even though it was beating so loud earlier. This heartbreak is manifesting itself in the form of an illness. My body has been off since I found out about Derek and Kate Argent. The temperature in my body goes from suddenly cold to hot. My stomach sometimes twists in unnatural ways, I toss and turn at night, my head throbs badly during the day, and right now I feel like vomiting.

"Stop the car," I mumble as I cover my mouth trying to stop the vomit. "Stop the car!"

Derek pulls over, and I jump out of the car racing to the nearest bush where I vomit violently. Derek is soon by my side pulling my hair out of the way and rubbing my back gently. My stomach heaves viciously as it has nothing else to vomit out, for I have not eaten and when I do, I eat very little. I am surely and slowly dying from the heartbreak. If only this ordeal would end swiftly and painlessly. Once I'm sure I'm done vomiting my brains out, I straighten up and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. This has got to be the most embarrassing way to die. My knees feel weak as I make my way back to Derek's car. Knowing I am about to lose my balance, Derek sweeps me off my feet and carries me back to his car. He sits me down on the seat and grabs my face.

"You're freezing," he says with worry thick in his voice. "I'm taking you to the hospital."

"I'm fine," I protest grabbing his arm and keeping him in place. "It was just the ice cream. I've been eating too much. I'm fine really. Let's just go home."

He visibly hesitates wondering whether it's a good idea to go home when I look like shit. Giving him my most reassuring smile, he nods and climbs back on the car. As he drives, Derek keeps glancing at me making sure I'm not dying. I simply stare out the window trying hard to not clutch my stomach or my chest.

"Are you sure you're ok?" He asks glancing at me with a deep frown. "Your heart is racing. It hasn't slowed down since I heard it outside the bar."

"You heard my heart?" I ask not really interested as I lean my head on the glass window wishing to be in bed under the covers where I don't have to hide my pain.

"Yeah, I got worried. Are you sure…"

"I'm fine," I say a little too harshly. "Really." I add gently smiling at him. "It's seriously so much ice cream. Don't worry."

He looks at me one last time with his deep frown but otherwise leaves me alone. The last minutes of the drive, I try to slow down my heart to keep Derek from worrying. When I finally get my heart rate under control, he visibly relaxes the tight grip on the steering wheel. Not soon enough though, Derek parks the car on the driveway, and I climb off without a word or glance to him. I need a shower after all I do smell like vomit plus I can't be near him anymore. Images of what he does with Kate flash in my mind making me even more nauseous. Racing up the stairs, I'm relieved Derek doesn't follow opting to head over to the kitchen. In my room, I realize my shoes are covered in vomit as well as the collar of my white blouse. All in all, I am pretty disgusting and beyond embarrassed for vomiting in front of Derek.

Stripping off my clothes, I step into the shower letting the hot water relax me immediately. The last couple of days have not been easy on anyone. The Hale family is still acting like zombies drowning in sorrow. In some ways keeping Derek's secret is sparing the family more pain and disappointment. Lately, I have also been hearing Uncle Peter argue with Uncle Adam about the hunters, and Derek's secret could possibly add fuel to the fire. Uncle Peter wants to go after the hunters wishing to take advantage of Gerard being out of town for the past couple of years. After Jesse's death, Chris Argent left too, so Kate and her buddies are the only hunters in town. This is the perfect time to go after them, or so Uncle Peter says.

To my uncles, it is unknown why Kate is still sticking around. Of course I know it's because she's playing a game with Derek. For the thousandth time, I question my reasons for keeping Derek's secret. Perhaps the relationship between Derek and Kate will be the motivation Uncle Adam needs. However, if they go after Kate, the rest of the Argents will get involved and a never ending war will be unleashed. A timid knock on my bathroom door snaps me out of my stressful thoughts. Turning off the shower, I get out and wrap the towel around my body.

"Yeah?" I call pressing my ear to the door.

"I brought you something for your upset stomach." Derek calls back.

"Um, ok. I'll be right out."

What is the meaning of this? I wonder as I put on my underwear, baby blue pajama shorts and a white tank top. Wrapping the towel around my wet hair, I step out into my room to find Derek sitting on my bed cross legged. He is wearing gray sweatpants and a white tank top. His muscled arms and torso look ridiculously massive and delicious in that small piece of clothing. Oh hell. I take a deep breath and calm my racing heart. Next to him is a tray with two cans of ginger ale, a banana, and a bag of pretzels.

"Are you my nurse?" I tease with a weak smile as I wonder how long I have with him before he leaves to find his pedophile whore.

He shrugs and gives me a grin. "Only if you want me to."

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" I grimace and look down at my bare feet wishing to take back my words. Stealing a glance in his direction, I notice his grin is gone replaced by one of his frowns. Way to ruin things, Sky.

"Not tonight." He replies matter of factly. Lowering his gaze, he frowns at the tray. "I'm not sure if your stomach can take any kind of food, so if you want I can just get you more ginger ale."

I cross my arms and frown at him for a while. What is he doing? Why isn't he rushing to see his pedophile whore? After all they did seem to be mad at each other this afternoon; they should be making up or something. Deciding to go along with this in order to find out what's going on, I unwrap the towel from my head and toss it into the dirty clothes pile.

"No, that's fine." I keep my eyes on him as make my way back to my bathroom. "I'll just brush my hair and…"

"No," he stands and goes to my bathroom. "I'll do it." He grins when he returns with my purple hairbrush in hand.

Narrowing my eyes, I wonder who this guy is and what he has done with Derek Hale. The Derek of recently has not played with my hair in ages. The Derek I have come to know doesn't give up precious time with his pedophile whore. Yet a new Derek stands before me twirling the brush from one hand to another as he watches me expectantly. I can almost see him jump up and down in excitement, but I don't know why or even what the hell is going on. Again, I decide to go along with it, so I let this new Derek lead me to my bed where he makes me sit with my back to him.

"Eat or drink." He commands as he strokes my damp hair with his long fingers.

I make sure to bite my lower lip to keep the moan from escaping. His fingers on my hair feel heavenly. I haven't realized how much I missed Derek playing with it like when we were kids, and he used to try, emphasis on the try, to braid my hair. Needing something to do other than think about the hairbrush going through my hair followed by Derek's fingers, I tear open the bag of pretzels and begin munching on them. By the time I'm finished with the bag, I am parched and Derek is on his fourth time of brushing my mane.

"Your hair is long," he comments as I open the can of ginger ale.

"Yeah," I swallow the drink. "I need a haircut."

"No. Don't cut it. It's nice the way it is. Like silk." He says nonchalantly as he parts my hair in three even parts and begins to braid, or try to anyway.

"Um. Ok." I mumble as I frown at the can in my hands.

What gives? First, Derek decides to be my nurse and give up precious time with Kate. Then he decides to play with my hair and compliment me on it. Yeah, he used to spend time with me but recently he has been pushing me away. Why would Derek suddenly decide he wants to spend quality time with me instead of going out with his pedophile whore and do explicit things with her? Maybe he feels pity as I am pretty sure I looked fucked up when I vomited earlier. Or perhaps he's not so indifferent to me… I crush that last thought as soon as it comes to mind. Derek has made it very clear I'm only family to him. Obviously what he's doing tonight is taking care of his little cousin. That is all.

"Why are you sighing?" His fingers stop their movement on my hair.

I shrug and take a swing out of the ginger ale. "I didn't realize I had sighed."

"Yes and rather loudly and long." He chuckles.

"Oh." Is all I say shrugging once again.

"You ok?" The amusement in his voice is gone replaced by worry. He shifts us so that we are sitting next to each other. With his right index finger, he tilts my chin up, so he can look at me. I avert my eyes.

How do I tell him I'm hopelessly in love with him, and his relationship with Kate kills me not only with fear but with jealousy? How do I tell him I wish I could be more for him? That's easy. I don't tell him. I'll most likely push him away if I confess the violence of my feelings for him. Besides, how many times must I reiterate to myself that Derek does not and will never look at me the way I do him? I make the mistake of meeting his concern filled green eyes, and I feel my stomach twisting again. Looking away again, I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from saying anything stupid or embarrassing, but the awkwardness and silence between us is too much that I blurt out the first thing I can think of.

"Just worried about your relationship with the pedophile whore." Fuck. Good job, Sky.

Derek inhales sharply, and I brace myself for the explosion. "What did you call her?" He asks with amusement rather than anger in his voice.

"I didn't…" I look over at him hoping to decipher his feelings. He doesn't look upset; there's no frown on his face. In fact, he really does look amused. "Pedophile whore." I repeat with a shrug.

He throws his head back and laughs. "You should say those things, kiddo. You could hurt her feelings." He says between laughter and pinching my left cheek.

Kiddo? What is he Uncle Peter? And why should I care about the pedophile whore's feelings? Besides the nickname is just a reflection of the truth. Kate is a pedophile, and she must be a whore. Yet Derek defends her! To top it all, who is considering _my _feelings? No one! I get to be treated like a child, being called _kiddo_ and a pinch on the cheek. Rage makes my blood boil.

"Does it look like a give a shit about her feelings?" I hiss icily narrowing my eyes at Derek. His smile slips away replaced by his frown. "She has no feelings if she is going around murdering children and screwing a _teenager_."

"Sky," he groans as he lies down on my bed. "Don't start w-"

"Yes I will start. Must I remind you she and her family killed Jesse? And you haven't seen Sara have you? Neither have I! She is still locked up in Jesse's room refusing to move or eat. Tyler and Dylan are already asking what's wrong with their mommy especially after Uncle Peter tried dragging her out, and she screamed her fucking head off."

"Skylar," his voice is more of a growl, but I can't stop. Derek needs to understand that the monster he loves is a murderer because not only did she kill Jesse she killed us all too.

"Andre. Remember him? Neither do I. He's obsessed with studying to forget. I passed by his room the other day, and he was reciting the plot of _To Kill A Mockingbird _in French! Aunt Julie quit her job to raise Tyler and Dylan..."

"All right! Stop!" He covers his face with his hands.

I wait a couple of seconds before continuing. "Uncle Adam. Your dad. He buries himself with work and drowns his sorrow with alcohol. I hear him crying late at night in his studio and begging Uncle Andre forgiveness for letting his son die. We are all losing our fucking marbles because of her."

I sigh and lay down next to him. Derek remains stiff even as I wrap my arms around him. He's clearly working hard to keep from lashing out at me as his breathing is labored.

"I don't care if Kate didn't pull the trigger herself; I don't care what she has told you, because of her and her family, our own family is fucked up. And if you stay with her, something really bad is going to happen."

"Sky," he whispers finally wrapping his arms around me though he's still stiff.

"I'm not going to say anything else." For tonight at least. "I just want you to think about it."

"I do." He says sounding tortured and pained. "I think about it every fucking day and night. Tonight, I don't want to think about it. I just want to spend some time with you."

"Ok," I concede because, for one, I'm ecstatic that he wants to spend time with me, and second, I need a break too. Like him, I think about him and Kate. Not only because I'm jealous of Kate but also because the consequences of their affair can be atrocious. However, tonight, I won't think either. "What do you want to do?"

"Don't you have to study for your Algebra final?" He grins as he finally relaxes relieved that I have dropped the subject of Kate.

"Oh yeah," I make a face just thinking of numbers and stuff. "Help me?" I bat my eyelashes at him.

"Sure," he chuckles shoving me off the bed and making me fall on the floor. I throw a pillow aimed at his head, but of course it misses him. "I'll go get some more ginger ale for you and a coke for me."

"Ok," I nod happily as I get up from the floor and head over to my desk to get my notes.

Even though I hate Algebra with a burning passion and would rather fail tomorrow or eat needles instead of spending my night studying, Derek will be with me. And that's a pretty sweet way to spend my night. The night turns out to be even better, and I actually learn stuff. With Derek's super genius brain, I can understand how to solve some problems I didn't learn all semester long. Derek writes a couple of problems to make me practice while he goes down to the kitchen to make popcorn and get another bag of pretzels. All night long he praises me and even twirls a strand of my hair around his finger while I stare at a problem. At around eleven, I call it quits feeling my brain on fire and my chest ready to explode from a Derek overdose.

"How about a bedtime story?" Derek wiggles his eyebrows at me as I shove my notes into my binder.

"Oh my gosh. Yes!" I squeal and clap my hands like a small child. "_Horton Hears A Who!_" I request as I pull the covers and climb into bed patting the spot next to me for Derek.

"Jesus. You have read that book billions of times." He picks two other books from my shelf. "How about _The Lorax _or _The Cat In the Hat_?"

"No," I cross my arms and fake pout. "I want Horton."

"Fine," he chuckles pulling Horton out. "You sure you're thirteen?"

I resist the urge to punch him for the jab at my age. Age is such a sensitive topic for me more so now than before. My age reminds me that I am too young and inexperienced for Derek. Instead of throwing a bitch fit, I grin at him innocently. Derek gets into bed making my queen mattress sink down a little. He scoots over closer to me leaning his back against the headboard and pulls my head on his lap.

Clearing his throat dramatically, Derek opens the book and begins. "On the fifteenth of May, In the Jungle of Nool, In the heat of the day, In the cool of the pool, he was splashing enjoying the jungle's great joys when Horton the elephant heard a small noise,[1]" Derek makes a squeaking small noise in the back of his throat making me giggle.

His deep voice soon begins to lull me to sleep. Hard as I try, I can't stay awake even though he makes me laugh when he makes the voices and noises. By the time Derek gets to the part where Horton is searching for the clover, I succumb to unconsciousness.

I wake up a while later feeling hot and sweaty. Derek is hugging me too tightly with his arms and legs pulling me against his chest. While this is heaven, I am burning like I'm in hell. When my eyes adjust to the darkness, I can see Derek's mouth slightly ajar and his face free of frowns. Derek sleeping is the cutest thing I have ever seen. Slowly, I begin to untangle myself from him. He stirs a little but otherwise stays asleep. Finally, I manage to get out of bed without waking him. I spare a glance in the direction of the clock: five am. Groaning, I hurry down to the kitchen to get some water.

Once my thirst is quenched, I head back to my room but stop when I hear noises coming from the living room to my left. Descending the stairs again, I head over to find who is up besides me. Sliding the door open, I find Sarah sitting on the bench by the grand piano on the far side of the room close to the door that leads to the basement. Sarah is quietly murmuring to herself and every once in a while she pulls her hair and slaps her face gently. Worried, I step towards her slowly as to not startle her.

"I have to…" she whispers. "I have to remember… He hates it…"

"Sarah?" I place my hand gently on her shoulder as her hands roam over the piano's keys. "You ok?"

"I have to… I have to…" she keeps murmuring ignoring my presence. Sitting down next to her, I can see her eyes are wild and red from crying while her hair sticks out in every direction.

"Sarah? What do you want to do? Maybe I can help?"

She finally seems to notice I'm here as she turns to look at me, her greens eyes still wide and lost. "Sky. I can't remember, but I have to. Help?" Her voice cracks as the tears spill from her eyes.

My heart aches for her, but I don't understand what she wants me to do. "You forgot how to play? I'll teach you tomorrow. Come on. I'll take you to bed." I rise and pull her by her elbow gently.

"No!" She half shouts, half whispers. "No. I have to wake up Jesse. I have to… But I can't remember how to play." Her hands roam over the keys unsure of what to do.

Swallowing the knot in my throat, I sit back down next to Sarah finally catching on to her purpose of playing the piano at five in the morning. Jesse used to hate the piano; I never knew why, but he disliked it. Sarah used to play in the mornings to piss Jesse off or make sure he got up for school. It was her favorite past time. Obviously Sarah has completely lost her marbles if she thinks playing the piano will wake up Jesse from his eternal slumber. However, there's no point in trying to explain that to her, so I just decide to play along besides the desperation in her movements and murmuring breaks my heart.

"I'll help you." I give her a small smile as I get up again to close the piano lid and muffle the sound. "We'll wake up Jesse." I sit down and press the una corda pedal to softer the sound even more. Last thing I want is to wake up the entire household. "Watch me then you try, ok?" She nods then I begin to play Chopin's Raindrop Prelude.

As my fingers slide over the keys, I watch Sarah. A grin breaks over her lips and her eyes widen even more to the size of golf balls. She stares off into nothing as the music drifts softly over the room.

"Want to try?" I ask her as I stop the music abruptly, but she doesn't respond seeming lost in her own world.

"Keep going." I turn around and find Uncle Adam leaning against the door. His dark blue tie is loose around his neck, his white shirt is wrinkled and untucked, and his green eyes are sorrowful and filled with tears. "Keep playing, Sky. Play for Jesse."

So I do. I restart the song, and when I finally reach the end, Sarah bursts into hysterical sobs and throws her arms around me.

"He's never waking up!" She wails as her fingers dig into my shoulders. Holding her back tightly, I begin to cry too. "He's gone. And the last time I saw him, I… I yelled at him for waking up Tyler!"

Rubbing her back, I have no idea what to say to her. There is nothing I can say. She has lost her brother and no matter how many kind words she receives, the pain and sorrow will never truly go away. Sarah, like me, has an abyss in her chest. It isn't until Aunt Julie speaks do I realize the entire family is in the room shedding tears quietly.

"Oh honey," Aunt Julie pulls her daughter up and takes her to the couch to sit next to Andre. "Jesse knew you love him dearly. We all do."

Sarah nods and throws her arms around her mom. Andre leans against his sister's shoulder and holds her right hand in his. I look away from them and gaze at the keys trying to conceal my own tears. Damn hunters. Damn Argents. Damn them all to freaking hell. Damn them to the Outer Ring of the Seventh Circle of Dante's _Inferno _where I hope they will all be immersed in the boiling river of blood and fire for their violence against an innocent child like Jesse.

How dare they hurt my family? My hands ball into fists, and I begin banging on the keys making an atrocious sound. Uncle Adam suddenly grabs my fists and sits down next to me.

"I think we'd rather hear another sweet melody."

Staring at him with tears in my eyes and labored breathing, I frown at him questioning if he's serious. He gives me an encouraging smile that answers my question. He wants me to play the piano at five in the morning for the entire family but especially for Jesse, even though he hated it. Looking over my shoulder, I find everyone watching me expectantly. Laura has Chase's head on her lap as she strokes his blond hair. Sophie is between Uncle Peter and Aunt Grace while the three of them hold hands. Derek, well, he stands with his back on the door frame and stares up at the ceiling. His face shows no emotion. Silently praying that this display of family unity will push Derek in the right direction, I turn back to the piano.

I play another Chopin piece; Sunshine is a lot lighter than Raindrops, and it is difficult too. I chose Sunshine because it requires my attention. After Sunshine, I am asked to play more, so I play more Chopin, Debussy, Bach, Mozart and Beethoven until the sun comes up. Instead of feeling tired, I feel oddly refreshed. It's like somehow playing piano early in the morning has reconnected us again. We are all on our way to recollecting our marbles and healing our shattered hearts one band aid at a time.

School and my Algebra final pass in a blur. I see Josh at the end of the day, but he pointedly ignores me. Instead of chasing after him, I decide to give him some time possibly the entire summer. When I get home after helping Dr. Deaton, I head up stairs to Derek's room. He didn't say anything to me this morning after we all dispersed from the family room to get ready for our activities of the day. In fact, it seemed like Derek was avoiding me altogether, and I didn't know what I had done.

Knocking timidly on his door, I receive no response, so I step inside. The shower is running, and Derek is whistling rather happily. Frowning, I sit on his bed and wait for him to come out. What's got him so happy? What has happened since this morning that lightened up his mood? Oh. Of course. The pedophile whore. What must I do to make him understand the affair needs to be over? The water stops running, and Derek fumbles with his clothing, I think. Several minutes later he steps out wearing black from his short sleeved shirt to his dark jeans and sneakers. All the dark clothing and dark hair make his green eyes pop out beautifully. Oh God. I am doomed to Dante's Second Circle where the violent storm will blow me back and forth never to find peace for my sinful carnal desires.

"Hey," he greets me cheerfully as he begins to rub lotion over his arms.

"Hey," I say cautiously. "Where are you going?"

He shrugs but doesn't answer. I stare at him expectantly. When he realizes I'm not going away, he sighs. "I'm going to see Kate. Tonight, I'll fix things." His green eyes reflected on the mirror glow happily.

"Derek," I whine resisting the urge to palm my face in exasperation. "Why are you still going out with her?"

Why are you still breaking my heart? Why do you look so delicious tonight? God that cologne... Don't flex your muscles… Shit. Blushing angrily and even lustfully, I look away from him as he keeps fussing over his hair. Seriously, what must I do to stop feeling this way for him? What must I do to keep Derek and the family safe? His footsteps against the carpet alert me that he's moving closer. His index finger under my chin startles me. My eyes meet his as his face is only a few inches away from me.

"Don't be jealous," he whispers his breath tickling my face.

"I'm not jealous!" I snap shoving him away and leaving his room making sure to slam the door loudly.

Out in the hallway, I try to calm my breathing. Where the hell did he get that I'm jealous? Never mind that I am, but how did he find out? Does he know how I feel? Crap. Sky, focus! He's about to go out with her again. What did he even mean that he'll fix things? Is he breaking up with her? I seriously doubt it. If Derek is breaking up with Kate, he wouldn't be so damn happy. He's more than likely going to ask her to run away with him or some sappy, stupid shit like that.

A blinding rage makes me ball my fists. Derek is not going to end his affair with Kate, ever. It is time to take matters into my own hands. Rushing to my room, I fire up my laptop and Google the Argent's address. Once I have it written down, I race down stairs to the kitchen and pull out a knife. As I head out of the house, I take Derek's keys and unlock his car quickly putting the keys back on the table once the car is unlocked. First, I untie my bike ready to take off immediately. With the knife and driven by a rage that will doom me to Dante's Fifth Circle, I deflate Derek's left front tire. Pulling out the knife, I open Derek's trunk and deflate the spare tire as well.

"That ought to hold you up for a while," I murmur as I climb on my bike stashing the knife in the nearest bush I can find.

I pedal as fast as I can towards Kate's house. It's time for a little talk. The pedophile whore needs to know she can't mess with my family, and of course, she must leave Derek alone. When I reach her house though, I am anxiously shaking. What can a thirteen year old say to a grown woman that will scare her? I am way over my head. Taking a deep breath, I ring the doorbell anyway. I have to try. I glance behind me to make sure I wasn't followed when the door finally opens.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed some of the sweetness of this chapter because as you can see shit is about to hit the fan. Big time. Next chapter: the confrontation between Sky and Kate. **

[1] Geisel, Theodor Seuss. _Horton Hears A Who! _Random House. 1954.

**Further explanation of Dante's **_**Inferno**_** references: **

The Second Circle of Dante's inferno is where those driven by lust are blown back and forth in a violent storm never to find rest referring to how carnal desires are powerful enough to aimlessly carry a person.

Fifth Circle is where those driven by rage (anger) fight each other endlessly in the swamp like river Styx while the sullen lie beneath the water never to find happiness in anything at all.

The Outer Ring of the Seventh Circle refers to the place where those who commit violence against others, or themselves (suicide), are immersed in a river of boiling blood and fire.

**Dante's Divine Comedy is so fascinating. I recommend it! **


	12. We Are Broken

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf**

**Thanks for the reviews guys! :) And I am oh so sorry for this very late update. Lots of things going on and I had writer's block. Just a quick announcement: go over to my profile and check out the lovely banners made by Emma (**MidnightWolf358**) for **_Hunted_**. Once again thanks for them hun! Title of the chapter inspired by Paramore's song of the same name. I thought it fit the mood of the chapter! **

Chapter 11: We Are Broken

_Sky_

Slowly, I turn my eyes back to the door where the she devil now stands right hand on her hip and wide eyes filled with surprise. Kate soon recovers from the obvious shock of finding a Hale, other than Derek, at her doorstep. Her honey colored eyes soon fills with malicious delight and a devious smirk spreads across her perfectly shaped pink lips. I narrow my eyes at her and cross my arms over my chest letting her eyes roam from my head to my toes. Several times, Kate gives a slight snort and seems to be holding back laughter. I know what she is doing: seizing me up and clearly trying to make me feel inadequate next to her. Well, she's late to the party, for I already know I'm inadequate compared to her. My chest is not yet voluptuous like hers, and while I have a flat stomach and great legs due to the training sessions with Uncle Adam, my figure is nothing compared to Kate's hour glass figure. However that is beside the point as I am not here to compare our attributes but to warn her to leave Derek alone. She seems to also realize we have not acknowledged each other and crosses her arms as she leans against the door frame. Her long, perfect, red nails tap her biceps as she looks down at me making me once again despise my age and five foot three stature.

I open my mouth to begin a speech I never prepared; however, I stop myself when my eyes rest on her chest. Not that I am checking her out because I am not lesbian, and if I were, I would so not go for a whore. What draws my attention is the silver pendant around her neck. The pendant has what looks like a wolf with several arrows above it.

"Do you like it?" Kate startles me out of my inspection of her jewelry. "It's a family heirloom. This is passed down to the eldest Argent female. This identifies me for what I am." I can hear pride in her voice as she says those words which I can't help snort at. Only an Argent would find satisfaction in murder.

"You mean a pedophile whore?" I say through gritted teeth.

Kate raises her delicate eyebrows at me in surprise and probably amusement. She lets out a small chuckle. "I was right. The cousin is here to finally defend his honor. I figured this little chat would come soon since you have been stalking us for a while. Congratulations by the way for being smart enough to figure out about us. Now, let's get this over with shall we? I have a hot date waiting for me." She winks mischievously, for we both know who the hot date is.

"Back the fuck off Derek," I growl uncrossing my arms and balling my fists at my sides. "If you don't…"

Her laughter cuts me off. Kate throws her dirty blonde mane back and laughs rather loudly and obnoxiously. My eardrums protest from the high-pitchedness of her laughter. Briefly I connect her laughter to that of the Wicked Witch of the West, which fits rather well.

"This is precious," she says still amused as she bends down to my eye level. "If you weren't involved with the wolves, I'd think you were cute."

Narrowing my eyes and unable to hold back my anger anymore, I raise my hand before she knows what's coming and slap her hard across the face. The sound of my palm on her cheek is glorious, and I smile satisfied as her head snaps to the side abruptly. When she looks back at me, she straightens up and rubs her angry red cheek. I resist the urge to cradle my stinging hand against my chest as I glare at her defiantly.

"How's that for cute?" I sneer delighted. "Before you so rudely interrupted," I continue as she glares at me with a murderous look in her eyes. I know she won't touch me, for now at least. "If you don't back off, I will take care of you myself. You don't know what I'm capable of." My voice has dropped several degrees, and I barely recognize it. "Got it?"

Not waiting for a response, I turn around to leave, but the she devil has other plans in mind. She roughly grabs my right arm and pulls me back to face her. Her nails dig into my flesh, and I resist the urge to grimace in pain. When I meet her eyes, I see the fury swirling in them, and her jaw twitches working hard to control herself and not murder me. Oh I'm sure she would love to, but if she hurts me in public, she will be in trouble. Besides cowardly people like Kate work in the dark and come out of nowhere to slit throats.

"Listen you little bitch," she practically spits the words out. "Don't you dare threaten me or attempt to do so. I know you are only human, and you will not tell your beastly uncles about me because if you do, I will kill them all." A malicious sneer breaks on her face before turning serious again. Kate gets down to my eye level again still holding my arm and digging her nails in deeper. I will, without a doubt, have bruises and half crescent moons on my flesh. "Regarding your cousin, Derek, I will do as I please with him until _I _decide he is no longer useful to me." She grins widely showing her perfect white teeth. "I doubt I'll tire of him. He's an easy fuck, and he's gotten very good in bed." She bites her lower lip and lets go of me shoving me away. "He enjoys it too. You might want to ask him before you make a fool out of yourself again."

The shove is too harsh and strong, and to my dismay, I fall on my ass. She steps towards me with her hands on her hips and kicks my left shoe. I can only glare up at her conveying as much hatred as I can. How dare she refer to Derek as if he is only a man-whore? Because Derek is not a whore; he's wonderful, kind, thoughtful of course when he's not being a jerk. Actually for three months, which is how long Derek says he has been seeing Kate, Derek has been acting odd not only towards me but towards everyone. He doesn't spend time with us anymore because he has been running to Kate. She has changed him for the worst, and I hate her more and more every day. There is nothing else she can do to make me hate her more.

"Oh by the way, I know all about your little crush, but let me tell you, _sweetie_, you have no chance. You are nothing just a stalking little bitch. Now go on and cry." She turns around to get back into the house but then stops looking over her shoulder at me. "Nice slap by the way." Her high-pitched laughter disappears behind the door as she slams it.

Still on the ground, I breathe heavily and glare at the door wishing I could set the house on fire. Rising to my feet, I grab my bike and pedal away all the while kicking myself for the fiasco. How could I be so stupid to think I could take on Kate? Because I really can't take on her. As she pointed out, I am only human. I hate that she also knows damn well that I won't tell either of my uncles because she is right. She can kill them. A single wolfsbane bullet through their foreheads or a sharp sword will send my uncles to the grave.

And just when I thought I couldn't hate Kate more, she surprises me by giving me more reasons to do so. First, how dare she call my love for Derek a _crush_? _Crush_ is what Derek has on the whore. Second, how in the hell did she find out? But most importantly, has she told Derek? I doubt she has otherwise Derek would avoid me altogether. It's frustrating how everyone seems to know but Derek! Not like I want him to find out or maybe I do… No. Things would be worse if Derek finds out. He'll say he only sees me as his little cousin, and I deserve someone better, blah. I rather save myself the heartache. I just wish to fix our relationship, and we can't do that with Kate in the middle. He loves her, and I hate her. Why can't we go back to when we were children running freely without complications? Derek and I are so broken.

But this isn't even about what I feel for Derek. It's about the family and how this will only end in disaster. I'm just really wasting time and putting the family in danger by keeping this secret. Knowing I need some advice from a somewhat neutral party, I head to Dr. Deaton's clinic. I had spent some time talking to Dr. Deaton, and to my surprise, he had known all along about the Hale and Argent families. He was even at my Uncle Adam's bonding ceremony years ago. Dr. Deaton doesn't know though when or why the fight between the Argent's and the Hales started all he knows is that it runs deep and long.

Leaving my bike on the rack outside, I angrily shove the door open and start mumbling curses under my breath. I stop abruptly when I see Dr. Deaton is not alone. Standing rather closely to Dr. Deaton is Dante, or I think it's his name as I haven't seen him since Jesse's funeral. Dr. Deaton glares at Dante then turns his back on him and steps out from behind the counter and steps towards me.

"I'm glad you're here," he says giving me a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. "The snake needs to be fed."

"Oh joy," I mumble angrily still pissed off about Kate. "I'm upgrading from a bitch to a snake."

"What?" Dr. Deaton asks this time his smile is genuine. He probably thinks I had a brawl at school or something. If only.

"Nothing," I mumble heading to the counter. "Hello Dante." I greet him pleasantly more out of manners than anything else. I still think he's creepy.

"Hi Sky," he greets back looking me from head to toe. "You're growing." He adds after a while with some strange feeling in his voice. "You're becoming a lady."

"Right," I mumble and share a look with Dr. Deaton. He shrugs but doesn't meet my eyes. This is weird. Why can't I hang out with normal people? Or better yet, why can't _I _be normal? "Well, I will feed that snake."

"Is that safe?" Dante asks though I'm sure the question is directed at Dr. Deaton.

"Gibby is a hognose," I answer. "He is not dangerous at least not to humans. Hognose snakes are actually cute; they play dead when they feel threatened you know. They remind me of a puppy for some reason. I've always wanted a puppy, but I have a cat instead. He's not very nice now, but he was so cute when he was tiny…" I stop when I realize I'm rambling. "I should go feed Gibby."

"I'll do it," Dr. Deaton chuckles quietly. "Why don't you tell Mr. Lorenzo all about Kitty and Gibby?" Dr. Deaton doesn't wait for my response as he goes to feed Gibby.

Turning back to Dante, I frown at him. "Lorenzo? That name rings a bell…" I bite my lip trying to go through my memories and find where I heard that last name. It has to do with Uncle Peter and…

"It's a common last name," Dante interrupts my thought. He rubs the back of his neck clearly and oddly enough uncomfortable. I've said it before, and I say it again: Dante is weird and creepy. But he's clearly harmless otherwise Dr. Deaton wouldn't have left me alone with him.

"Right," I shrug off the mystery of where I heard his name as a new question pops into my head. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to check on the hummingbirds." He says cheerfully. "Dr. Deaton says they are ready to take off. I was hoping to catch you and maybe we can set them loose together." He shifts from one foot to another nervously. "That is if you want. I just thought since we saved them…"

"That's cool," I nod and smile at him. "We can do that."

"Great," his eyes shine with excitement as he smiles hugely. "So tell me about Gibby and this not so nice cat."

And so I do. I tell him all about my life which distracts me from the real reason I came to Dr. Deaton's: to talk about Kate and ask for advice. But the anger that I had from confronting Kate and failing miserably at getting her to leave Derek alone has diffused thanks to my talk with Dante. He listens intently and laughs at my stupid jokes and stories. Often he interrupts to ask questions or more details. By the time Dr. Deaton has to close down, the sun is setting illuminating Beacon Hills with warm colors, and I have spent all day talking to Dante and completely forgotten that I was supposed to ask Dr. Deaton for advice.

As Dante and I walk to the park where we will set the hummingbirds free, I consider going back and hopefully catch Dr. Deaton before he leaves. However, I don't do that because I did tell Dante we would set the birds free. Instead, I pull my bike along as we walk in silence finally getting most of my childhood stories out of the way. I did make sure to keep some of the details that involve werewolf stuff to myself. The man will surely freak out or think I'm crazy if I say the word 'werewolf.'

"You're too quiet," he comments as we set the birds' cage on a bench under the tree we found them in. "Everything all right?"

I let out a heavy and loud sigh before I say no. But I'll be lying. All the things Kate told me during our confrontation buzz in my head like a thousand bees nagging me and making me feel heavy. I just need someone to talk to right now. Dante has been listening to me all day so maybe one more story won't hurt. Perhaps he can give a piece of uncomplicated advice. It's worth the shot in any case, I'll get to unburden myself, and I won't hurting anyone because I'll still censor the exact details.

"I like… No. I love this guy," I begin and watch as he arches his eyebrows at me no doubt questioning how a girl my age can say she loves a guy. "I do. I'm mature for my age." I stick my tongue at him proving I am not mature and making him laugh. "Anyway. I love this guy, but he is with someone else…"

"Well he doesn't deserve you then," he says not waiting for the rest of the story. Instead of interrupting him, I let him continue because he suddenly sounds like a dad. "You are young and gorgeous, sweetheart. There is someone out there who will treat you like a queen." He flashes me a warm smile that melts my heart.

Dante says what I think my own father would tell me were he alive. That thought makes me emotional and long for my father even though Uncle Peter _is_ technically my father. Peter Hale has been the constant father figure since I was three and as much as he pretends I'm his daughter, we are not related. Of course neither is Dante, but he is acting fatherly while Uncle Peter would act like a best friend who would suggest I find a way to split up the couple. Uncle Peter's advice would work if I was dealing with a girl my age and not someone who is heartless and capable of putting a bullet in my head. Then again Dante doesn't know what's at stake here. _Ugh_. This is too much for me to deal.

"Thanks," I continue as I look down at my shoes. "But that's not the real problem. Say the girl is trouble, but the guy doesn't see it. I try warning him and even speaking to the girl, but they don't understand that what they have is just _not _right. Things are going to end badly with lots of people hurt; I can just feel it, and my instincts haven't been wrong so far. I just don't know what do to." I finish lamely with a sigh.

Dante doesn't say anything after I'm done talking. His brown eyes dance all over the place as if searching for a wise answer. He looks down at me and opens his mouth to say something but changes his mind and closes it again. Looking down at the birds' cage, he opens it and lets the hummingbirds out. They all fly out and above us as some struggle to gain altitude. After a couple of minutes though, they are gone leaving Dante and me standing awkwardly next to each other. Picking up my bike, I climb on but before I begin to pedal, Dante places his hand over mine as it rests on the bike's handle.

"Just do what your heart tells you to do," he says as I look up at him and meet his eyes. They are soft and gentle.

With a smile and a nod, I look down at his hand on mine and realize that our skin color is about the same: a light olive tone. Huh. What else had I not paid attention about him? His lips are shaped like mine: Cupid's bow. His nose is long, and a little wide with a small ball at the tip; I'm pretty sure it's Italian. Suddenly I stop my ogling because I bet I look creepy staring at him. Clearing my throat and nodding again, I look at the grass.

"Um, thanks." I mumble. "I have to go now. Bye Mr. Lorenzo."

"Please keep calling me Dante," he chuckles quietly as he pats my hand. "Be careful, Sky."

"Always am, Dante." With that, I take off pedaling fast and furious home. Flattening Derek's tires only slowed him down for a bit as I am sure he either managed to get someone to lend him a car, or he has gone on foot. I seriously doubt he's at home waiting to rip me apart for what I have done to his baby. He looked much too happy to see Kate tonight, so it is safe to say that he went on with his plans. Of course there will be hell to pay when I get home, but it won't matter because tonight, I'm telling. I will finally tell Uncle Peter about Derek and Kate. This ends tonight.

_Derek_

"Skylar Emilia Hale," I grumble as I stomp up the stairs and to her room. "You are dead." I shove the door open only to find her room is deserted.

With a groan, I head back downstairs to ask Laura to lend me her car because I don't have time for Sky's petty behavior. Tonight is the night I tell Kate all about our family. Since we met and started our relationship, she has been drilling me about the family, but I always resist. In some ways, I still doubt Kate's claims that she is different from her brother and father. She swears to me she will never hurt my family. When Jesse was shot, I was furious at her because I really thought she had anything to do with his death. After much talking, she finally convinced me that she follows their code wholeheartedly. According to their code, the hunters avoid killing children like Jesse. However her brother, Chris, apparently doesn't follow the code like she does. We sealed our fight with one of our passionate kisses that usually lead to ripping clothes off, but as we had been at the bar and Sky was waiting for me at the ice cream parlor, I left her pouting but promised I would see her that night. Of course that didn't happen because when I left the bar, I smelled Sky's recent scent. I assumed she had gone home because she didn't see me, but when I got home, it turns out she's angry at me.

For a moment, I had considered that maybe she had seen me with Kate, but I quickly dismissed it. If Sky had seen me she would have said something. It turned out that Sky was bidding her time. She was trying to find out who Kate, and then she did. I still don't know how she found out, but it all went to hell. My heart tore to pieces when Sky found out about my betrayal to the family, and she cried and screamed at me. What worried me the most was that she would tell my dad or Uncle Peter, but Sky has kept her promise and has not told anyone about Kate and me. I hope it's stays that way for a while at least. I will tell the family what I have with Kate but first, I need to talk to her. We need to think of what we'll say to our families once our affair comes out in the open. Hopefully the fact that we are together will halt the coming war. Hopefully our families will realize that it is possible to interact with each other. I'll fix the lifelong grudge between us. But first, I need a car.

"He says he'll be there," Sophie's voice comes from the parlor. "We will see. I just hope he doesn't want us to live together."

"You probably shouldn't have gotten knocked up then," Laura jokes lightly.

"That was mean," I say as I lean against the door frame. "You should be more supportive."

"Yeah well you should be less of a…" Laura trails off stopping the curse that is sure about to lip her lips. Why my sister is such a goody two shoes is beyond me especially with Sky around.

"Dick?" Sophie pipes in cheerfully.

"Wow," I shake my head. "I try to defend you, and you pay me by calling me a dick? Not nice Soph."

We both chuckle at our easy banter. I can't remember the last time we teased each other. None of us have truly laughed since Jesse's death. For some reason, Sky's piano playing last night has brought some closure to the family. His violent death has been replaced by Sky's sweet melodies. It definitely pleases me that the family is on the way to mending except for me. I still feel like a traitor. My secret affair with Kate is going against all that the family is feeling: hatred for the Argents. I hate what they've done, but I don't necessarily hate them. How can I when I am sleeping with one of them? How can I when one of them seems to want to stop the fighting among us and get to know the family? Soon, though, everyone will see that the fight between us is unnecessary and stupid. That reminds me of the reason I am looking for Laura.

"Lulu," she looks at me with a frown on her face since I used her nickname only when we were little, and when I needed something, which I do. "Can I borrow your car tonight?"

She narrows her eyes at me. "Why? What's wrong with yours?"

The anger of seeing the tires of my baby mangled hits me full force, and I want to find Skylar right now and… What? I am incapable of staying mad at her for long. Her piercing blue eyes make feel… weird inside. When I see her later tonight or possibly tomorrow, what she did to my car will be forgotten because I can never hurt her. Not physically anyway as I have proven I can and have hurt her feelings more times than I can count with my two hands and my toes. Besides I know her childish act of puncturing my tires is her way of getting her revenge for being with Kate. It seems tonight I will also have to have a talk with Sky and make sure she understands that I…

"Hello? Anyone home?" Laura snaps her fingers pulling me out of my deep thoughts. "What happened to your precious car?"

"Flat tires," I shrug.

"Don't you have a spare?" Sophie asks as Laura simply shakes her head.

"It's flat too," I tap my foot against the hardwood floor. "Can I borrow it or not?"

"Not." Laura sticks her tongue out at me and giggles along with Sophie.

"Fine," I turn around to leave. "Thanks for nothing _Laura_."

"Jesus," Laura jingles her keys behind me. "Don't get your panties in a knot sissy. Here. Make sure you fill up the tank and go easy on Hermione."

"Hermione?" I arch my eyebrows as I take the keys. "You are such a nerd."

"Bite me," Laura shoves me then returns to her seat next to Sophie, who I had not noticed had a black and white photo on her lap.

"What's that?" I ask suddenly distracted by the photo.

"It's the baby's first ultrasound." Sophie beams as she hands me the photo. "I'm eight weeks in."

Taking the photo, all I see is blurry and a bunch of dots and shadows. I don't understand the big hype about the photo anyway. Sophie having a baby, while unplanned, is wonderful. One more Hale baby running around the house. With a grin on my face, I return the photo to Sophie who gazes lovingly at it.

"Congrats Soph," I pinch her cheek lightly. "If Tanner starts acting like a douche, Chase and I will rough him up."

"Oh God no," Sophie laughs. "His pretty face is the only thing that will help him in life. That boy is dumb."

"Hopefully the baby won't be like his or her father." Laura giggles as Sophie attacks her for the insult. I take that as my cue to leave as I am running late.

Unlocking Laura's car, I grimace and regret asking her for it. I should have gone for Dad's or Uncle Peter's SUVs. The white convertible mustang named Hermione makes me feel gay, which I'm not really sure why. However I have no time to get picky about cars, so I just climb inside and pull the top up. The sigh of longing that escapes my lips when I drive by my black Camaro is involuntary. Dad will not pay to get it fixed. I will have to figure something out because I can't be riding with Laura to school or asking her to lend it to me when I need to go out. But that is a thought for a later time. Now, I am focused on getting to the bar where Kate is waiting for me.

When I enter the bar, a couple of guys, which Sky calls lowlifes, greet me on my way inside. I quickly greet them back as my eyes scan the room for her. When I finally spot her, she's in a corner talking to some guy with slick black hair brushed back. The conversation must be interesting as Kate looks enthralled and like she's hanging on to the guy's every word. I expect jealousy when I see Kate run her hand up the guy's arm, but instead I just feel… nothing. With a shrug, I sit by the bar and strike up conversation with the bartender and owner, Joe.

"I can't have you coming here anymore Derek," Joe shakes his head sadly at me as he fills up a cup with coke for me.

"Why?" I can feel my signature frown on my face, or so Sky calls it.

"I got a warning from the sheriff. Apparently some hot shot lawyer is suing me for serving alcohol to minors. I have already had to kick out your buddies Camden and Sean early today."

I take the coke from the counter and sip quietly. I can only guess who this 'hot shot' lawyer must be: my father.

"You did serve alcohol to minors," I point out.

"One time," he shakes his head. "I can't believe I let Kate taught me into giving you and your buddies alcohol."

"Oh come on Joey," she snakes her hand up my back and to my left shoulder. "Derek had had a rough night. We'll deal with the lawyer." She grins at Joe, who shaking his head leaves us be. "You're late." She says before kissing me hard and urgently.

Her tongue shoves past my lips, and I welcome it and let her rake her nails up my legs and to the bulge in my pants. I groan when her hands begin to rub me in that skillful way of hers. Before I take her right in front of everyone, I shove her away gently. It is then that I take notice of the red welt on her left cheek.

"What happened?" I growl wondering who dared lay a hand on a woman.

"Your cousin," she rubs her cheek absentmindedly as I see her eyes harden. "She came to talk to me earlier and the little bitch slapped me."

My frown deepens as I process Kate's words and then the anger hits me making my blood boil and my hands to ball into fists. "Don't call her that." I growl and grasp her left hand tightly. "If I ever hear you call her that again, I will…"

"You will what puppy?" She smirks at me as she arches her left eyebrow. "Are you going to kill me? Go ahead. Start a war between our families. Go ahead and destroy the best damn thing that happened to your life: me." With ease, she jerks her hand out of my grasp and takes a swing out of the bottle of beer in front of her. "Besides, you should be defending _me._ I am the one who was physically hurt."

"I doubt you didn't inflict her pain," as soon as the words leave my mouth, I feel a deeper anger. "You didn't hurt her, did you? I swear Kate…"

"Down boy," she chuckles quietly as she finishes up the drink in one gulp. "I didn't touch a hair on her precious little head. You should know though that she's in love with you."

Running my hands through my hair, I sigh and nod my head. "I know."

"You know? Well, that just ruins my fun," she shakes her head and taps her right index finger against her chin.

"Your fun?" I ask narrowing my eyes.

The situation with Sky is far from fun or funny. It's hard to catch her gazing at me like I am some sort of Roman god or more simply put, like I am the object of her affection. I can't stand knowing she loves me, and I can't love her. Not like she loves me because Sky is, well, she is my sun, my stars; she is moon I howl for. She is just my everything, but I don't love her. Sighing, I realize that my thoughts make no sense. I make no sense.

"Aren't you listening?" Kate snaps her fingers in front of me. "Don't piss me off Derek, or you won't get any tonight."

"What were you saying?" The sex is the last thing on my mind right now, which is a first. I just want to know what happened between Sky and Kate.

"I said it would have been fun to see your face when I told you she loves you." She shrugs. "How did you find out?"

I mimic her movement and shrug. "It sort of became obvious since I do live with her. Just the way she looks at me and her pouting and murderous glares at my dates gave it away."

Before Kate, I dated plenty of girls from my school. A couple of them came to the house because some were friends of Laura or Sophie. Sky would always glare at them and throw stuff at them when she thought no one was looking. After a while, I sort of tried to keep my distance hoping she would move on and forget about me. The last thing I want is to have to break her heart. I did however made it clear she's only my family, and I could see resignation in her eyes. But tonight, when she kept whining and her watching me longingly, I realized she had not moved on. I don't know what possessed me to tell her not to be jealous which only ignited her jealousy further. The talk will still have to happen it seems.

"How pathetic," Kate's mocking laughter startles me. "Honey, you should talk to the little bitch…"

As soon as the words leave her mouth, I grasp her chin in my right hand and hold her firmly, so she sees my eyes and the anger in them. "I told you to not call her that." I growl menacingly and feel my nails enlarge. Before I make a mistake, I let go of her and stand up to leave.

"Where are you going?" She follows after me and pulls my arm just as we reach the exit. "Aren't we going to our room?" She pouts and rakes her nails over my arms giving me goosebumps. "Come on, let's have fun."

"After what you said about Sky," I snarl gripping her arms tightly and shoving her away. "I don't think so."

"If you knew what she's going to do, you wouldn't defend her so quickly." She calls after me.

"What do you mean?" I ask as I turn around to face her again.

"She's going to tell your dad about us," she shrugs nonchalantly. "I told her not to because you will be implicated, but she is jealous. She won't listen to me."

Once again, I run my hands through my hair at the new dilemma. If Sky tells my dad or Uncle Peter, Kate and I will be in trouble for fraternizing with the enemy. Yes, I want our affair to come out now, but we are not ready yet. Kate and I need to understand each other. We need to understand why we do what we do. Why where are who we are. Tonight, I was supposed to encourage her to talk about each other's life as we have never really done so opting to just tease each other, kiss, and screw all over the hotel room in permanent hold for us. This is not good. Sky is screwing it all up with her childish behavior.

"I need to stop her," I mumble as I race out of the bar and this time, Kate doesn't stop me.

When I get home, I race inside expecting the family to mangle me for being a traitor. However, no one pays any mind to me. In fact, the house sounds empty that is until I hear the piano coming from the family room to my left. I head in the direction suspecting it is Sky who is playing. To my surprise though, it's Sarah who is playing. The twins play under the piano with Kitty while the rest of the family is sitting on the sofas doing homework, reading, or shuffling through paperwork.

"Son," Dad greets me cheerfully. His eyes no longer look haunted, and the color has returned to his face. He's still much older than before, and he has yet to gain his weight back, but he is out of his own personal hell. "Why don't you join us?"

"I'm looking for Sky," I say cautiously wondering if maybe they are baiting me by pretending nothing is wrong. Suddenly they will jump at me with torches and pitchforks shouting the word 'traitor' which I am.

"Isn't she up in her room studying?" Uncle Peter asks without looking up from his paperwork. "I hope she is. Tomorrow is her last final: French."

Andre and Chase snort and laugh at Uncle Peter's words because they know, like I do, that Sky is fluent in French, but she's hiding it from Uncle Peter otherwise he'll send her to France. Sending her to France sounds good right about now. I react immediately when the front door opens then slams shut.

"Hello?" Sky's soft voice calls out. "Anyone home? Uncle Peter?"

Once in the foyer, our eyes meet. Her blue eyes widen in panic and possibly fear as she backs away from me. Oh she knows she is in deep shit. Seeing her so afraid though, tugs at my heart. I promised to protect this girl. I swore I would never hurt her whether I was a wolf or not. More than enough times, I have failed, but now I am inflicting fear on her.

"D-Derek…" She stutters guiltily.

Before she says another word, I grab her right arm and drag her outside.

"Ouch," she whines as I drag her to the lake as I don't want anyone to hear our conversation. "Ouch! Stop! You're hurting me!"

I let go of her arm and turn around to face her with my face inches away from her. Her eyes are wider that I have ever seen them before. The blue swirls with different emotions from shock to fear to panic to wonder. Her chest soon begins to heave as she hyperventilates. With a shake of my head, I turn away from her. Tugging at my hair, I try to put my scattered thoughts together. On one hand, I don't want to yell at her. I don't want to scare or hurt her anymore. But she needs to understand that her petty and childish behavior will mess up my plans.

"I know you're angry," she begins quietly. I turn around to look at her; she is rubbing her arm and digging the toe of her left shoe into the dirt. "I shouldn't have vandalized your car. I'll pay for the tires; I think I have enough money in the fucking jar."

I laugh humorlessly even though her words are rather funny. Now is not the time for jokes.

"Don't be cute Skylar," I snarl. "This isn't about the tires. Forget the fucking car. Forget the fact that you went to see her, and you slapped her. I know what you are going to do, and that's not nice Sky. You promised you wouldn't tell, and now you're going to rat me out!" I end up shouting and making her cringe. I don't think I have ever really shouted at her. But she just drives me insane.

"I wasn't…" She pauses biting her lip which always annoys me because she will damage her perfect and beautiful lips. Woah. What? Since when are Sky's lips perfect and beautiful? "Fine. I was going to tell Uncle Peter."

Her words snap me out of my pedophilic and disturbing thoughts. Kate was right. There's not stopping her. Sky is burning with jealousy. The talk of why we can't be together seems imminent now, but first I have to convince her to stay quiet until I can talk to Kate about us and what we can do show our families we don't have to hate each other.

"You can't tell."

"Why not?" She asks defiantly putting her hands on her hips and glaring at me.

"Because you're just doing it out of jealousy!" I blurt out but now I can't stop.

"Jealousy?" She snorts and her face turns red in either anger or embarrassment at being caught. "I'm looking after my family! You don't see that Kate is bad news. You think I'm jealous of her? Why would I be jealous? Just what the fuck are you talking about!"

"I know how you feel about me!" I roar right back at her and pause as her eyes get so wide I fear they will pop out of her sockets. "I can't ever look at you more than my cousin, Sky. You're young, childish, and petty. I need and want a woman not a child."

As soon as the words leave my mouth, I wish I can take them back especially after watching her face drain of all color and her mouth falls open in shock. I step towards her to take her in my arms and crush her to my chest while I beg for her forgiveness. I meant to talk to her about how her feelings for me are wasted, but I didn't want to tell her like this. Before I get close to her again, she turns around and runs to the house all the while I hear her hiccups and sniffs as she sobs. I chase after her and find her on the ground face down while her body shakes violently. She must have stumbled blinded by the tears. My heart constricts in pain as I bend to pick her up. Sky follows to shove me away and keep running away from me. Fuck me sideways. What have I done?

No one looks at me during dinner. Laura is locked up in her room with Sky. To explain Sky's tears, in a cowardly attempt to hide how terrible I've been, I tell the family I yelled at her for flattening my tires. That of course only led to more questions on Uncle Peter's part. He is beyond pissed off that I have made his little girl cry, again. So dinner is quiet and cold. I retire to my bed not even bothering to try to coax Sky out, so I can apologize. Laura will chew my head off, literally.

Lying down in bed, I replay my hurtful words to Sky. How could I call her childish and petty? I mean, yes, she is young, but I need to remind myself she is only thirteen. But does she really act her age? She's terribly smart, and, although she does commit acts of pettiness, she is mature for her age. And what was that crap that she is not a woman? Of course she's not! Yet her figure is developed thanks to the training sessions with my dad. She takes care of her image, and her attributes could have the attention of any boy her age. In fact, she already does. That kid Josh is proof of that. Thinking about Josh and how crazy I went after he kissed her, I realize I want no one to touch her. I want no one to kiss her Cupid's bow lips. I want no one to touch her smooth and soft skin or her silky dark hair.

I shake my head trying to get rid of the pedophilic thoughts about Sky. When did things get so complicated with her? How did we become so broken? What must I do to make our relationship whole again? I can't love her like she wants me to. And yet, I fall asleep thinking of her. Her smiles, laughter, eyes, lips, and tears follow me to my dreams which used to be inhabited by Kate.

**Ok, I sort of rushed this chapter because I wanted to update. So forgive my mistakes, for I did not proof read this time. Anyway, review? Make my sleepless night all the more worth it? Lol. **


	13. Almost Lover

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf**

**As always, thanks a bunch for the reviews! (: This update has been postponed so much I'm sorry! Just got my copy of UnWholly by Neal Shusterman, and I couldn't put it down! Ah! So awesome! Anyway, have you seen the banners on my profile? No? Go see them! Emma (**MidnightWolf358**) is so talented! And now, I'll shut up.**

Chapter 12: Almost Lover

_Sky_

I thought tonight I would end Derek's affair with Kate. My plan, after my talk with Dante, was to go straight to Uncle Peter and tell him everything. To my surprise Derek beat me home, and he seemed to already know what I was going to do. That surprised me even more, and while I tried to deny it, there seemed no point because I was going to 'rat him out.' Before it all came crashing down, Derek briefly addressed my talk with Kate. He hadn't seemed too pissed off about that but then again, I did run after he started yelling. I ran with tears in my eyes after Derek ripped my heart out. He finally confirmed my deepest and scariest insecurities that I'll never be good enough for him because I'm a child and not a woman like Kate. Something did end tonight though: my life.

With his words, I finished dying. I can no longer feel anything. At first, I could only cry and mumble incoherencies that Laura could not understand. As soon as I entered the house sobbing like I had lost something precious, Laura was the first one to encircle me in her arms. Unable to face the crowd, I pulled Laura up to her room where she locked the door and held me while I clutched my chest. Then suddenly, I had stopped crying and simply stared at the wall. Laura's mouth moved, but I could not hear anything. After a while she gave up and let me lay on her bed still staring at the wall with her comforter wrapped around me.

That was two hours ago. Uncle Peter is unable to stay away any longer, so he's the first one to see me curled up in a ball clutching my hollow chest to prevent the black hole from swallowing me. But maybe it already has. I can't speak, I can't see, I can't feel. There's only emptiness.

"Baby girl," Uncle Peter's pained words penetrate through the emptiness around and in me. "What happened?" I wish to speak, but I can't. "Talk to me, Sky." A pause. He kneels next to the bed, so he can see my eyes. "Derek says you had a fight because you flattened his tires." He waits. "Why did you do that? He won't tell me." I stare at him unseeing wishing to just be left alone to be sucked in by the black hole. "Sky…"

"Uncle Peter," Laura interrupts cautiously. "I will talk to her."

After a long last look at me and a deep sigh, Uncle Peter gets up and exchanges a couple of words I can't hear with Laura. The door clicks shut then the bed sinks a little as Laura takes a seat at my feet. She begins to rub my calves over the comforter as a way to provide comfort, but nothing brings me comfort. Nothing will. I have lost the will to live. Can someone really die of a broken heart? According to Sophie, who is studying Psychology at Beacon Hills Community College, it is possible. Sophie says that this condition is called stress cardiomyopathy which is the sudden release of stress hormones that alters the blood vessels reducing heart function. And then there are the good, old heart attacks that can be triggered by strong emotions. Well, that just sucks for me right now because it must mean that there is a possibility of death. Do I even care?

A sound that could have been a snort and a laugh forms in my chest sounding like the cry of a dying animal. When did I become one of those pathetic girls whose world stops because the guy doesn't want them? Then again, I had never before experienced or expected such a heart break. Wait, that's just not true. I have been experiencing this same heart break for a while now ever since Derek began dating last year. And of course I expected this. I knew how Derek felt about me, and I thought I had come to terms with the fact that I will forever be his cousin. A part of me deep inside still harbored the possibility that Derek may change his mind. A part of me believed that with Kate out of the picture, Derek and I could be lovers. But that is a far stretch, I know. I wanted desperately to be loved by him, but if it's not meant to be then it's not meant to be. So this, this stupid reaction is, well, stupid. I am not dying, not yet anyway, and certainly not because of Derek. Abruptly, I sit up and startle Laura.

"What is it?" She asks moving closer to me and touches my forehead. "Jesus, you're burning. Let me get…"

"I love Derek," I blurt out stopping her halfway getting up from her bed. "Not like I love Andre, or Chase, or you. I really love him, Lulu." The strong Sky that had resurfaced from the black hole is gone again as I utter those words and see Laura's pity. Then I start to sob again. "He doesn't love me like I do, and he won't, right? Because I'm not pretty, sexy, or mature."

Her arms are soon around me hugging me tight. "That's just not true Sky." She practically growls. "You are so gorgeous. God, I'd kill for your hair." We chuckle. "You are young, Sky. That is all. Remember that you're only thirteen, and you have so much to live for. There's a guy out there who does deserve you unlike my asshole of a brother."

"Oh my God," I pull away from her and wipe the snot with my sleeve. "Laura Marina Hale, did you just curse?"

"Yes," she grins then turns serious. "Did you tell him how you felt?"

"No," I sniff. "He knew. I don't know how, but he knew. Goddamn it, he has known it for who knows how fucking long."

"What did he say?"

With a sigh, I tell her everything Derek said. For a second I consider telling her all about Kate, but I don't want to think about her tonight. I want to pretend this is simple plus I just need Laura to reiterate what strong Sky is trying to tell weak Sky that we can't let Derek get to us. Laura is great at giving advice, and she's big on women's independence from men. The failed and tragic relationships of the Hale women have made Laura cautious and wise when it comes to men. She is truly strong, and the only one who can pull the strong Sky out of the black hole.

After I'm done telling her what Derek said to me, Laura, red in the face, paces back and forth and glances at the door several times. I can see she is considering going to find Derek and do who knows what to him possibly hang him by his toes or slap him senseless, God knows I want to. She takes a deep breath and sits back down next to me on her bed.

"I know you're hurting," she grabs my hands. "God, your face when I saw you on the foyer scared the crap out of me. I thought something had happened to you or Derek. Like someone had died. But no one has died, Sky. Derek obviously doesn't know what he has right in front of him, and he will realize it all too late, if he ever does. Heartbreak is a part of growing up, and you will experience it throughout your life, but one day you'll find the one. It doesn't seem like it, or you may say you don't want anyone right now, but in time you'll move on. I promise. And just because it didn't work with Derek, it doesn't mean you should be afraid to put yourself out there. I don't want you to miss out on anything, okay?"

Laura never fails. She always manages to meet and exceed my expectations. Just like I knew she would, she pulls out the strong Sky out of the black hole. I can't let my fiasco with Derek change me. I don't take crap from anyone. Throwing my arms around Laura, I thank her. What would I ever do without Laura? She is my sister and best friend. God, life would suck without her. I always thought she would judge me for the way I feel about her brother, but I should have known she'd never judge me. She loves me.

"I love you and Derek equally," she says patting my head. "And I think one day, you will forgive him, if you haven't already."

I shake my head. "I can't. Not yet anyway. He really hurt me, Lulu. Those things he said…" I trail off feeling the black hole reaching out to me again with its cold and slimy hands threatening to never let me go if I let myself succumb again.

"You have every right to be pissed off," she nods then narrows her eyes at the door again. "I should go beat the crap out of him."

"Don't," I beg grabbing her hands trying to hold her in place. "Please. Don't even mention that you know how I feel. It's embarrassing."

"Embarrassing?" She frowns. "You can't help the way you feel. The heart has reasons that Reason does not know."

"Thanks Blaise Pascal." I pause and purse my lips. "Though I do believe it is '_Le cœur a ses raisons, que la raison ne connaît point_.'"

"Sky," she sighs. "Shut up. Wait, I thought you didn't speak French!" Her eyes widen as she realizes I have been lying. "You conniving, little deceiver!" She shouts through the laughter as she begins to pummel me with her pillow.

We roll on the floor laughing until our stomachs grumble with hunger since we skipped dinner. Laura suddenly suggests we go out and find some fatty food to help heighten our spirits even more. First though, we have to ask Uncle Adam and Peter permission, and that is going to be a bitch. I doubt they'll let us out since my last final is tomorrow, for which I have not studied at all, and Laura's finals begin tomorrow. The schools are weird like that. In middle school, we get our exams done first and start summer early, but we also get back to school early. In high school is the opposite. Still, Laura and I are going to try to get out of the house for a while.

"Daddy?" I resist the urge to giggle when Laura opens the door to Uncle Adam's studio and bats her eyelashes at him.

Uncle Peter is sitting with him too. He quickly gets up and walks towards me. While Laura goes to Uncle Adam's desk to ask permission to go out, Uncle Peter pulls me out into the hallway.

"You ok?" His voice is thick with concern as he looks me over as if the pain I endured is visible.

"I'm fine," I shrug avoiding his eyes.

"What happened?"

I shrug again. "Derek flipped out because of his vandalized car, and I overreacted. He has a right to be mad." Wait. What? Oh sweet baby Buddha, Sky. Why am I defending him?

Uncle Peter snorts and grabs my face in his hands tipping my head up to look at him. "Don't give me that crap, Sky. What happened with Derek? You two have been acting very weird and arguing all the time. You two used to be so close. What is going on Skylar?"

Gulping loudly, I slow down the beating of my heart. I can't tell him what's going on; I just don't have the balls to rat Derek out and start a war with the Argents. But every hour that passes, the risk of something terrible happening gets bigger and bigger. Tell him. Tell him. Tell him…

"Ask Derek." I say instead.

"I did," Uncle Peter sighs annoyed. "He only said you were mad at him, and you stabbed his tires with a knife. Why were you even mad at him?"

"Uncle Peter," I sigh annoyed as well. "I don't want to talk about it." The last part comes out as a whine.

"Well you have to." He says sternly. "I won't stand for anymore fighting. Adam agrees that this time, things have gone too far. Jesus Christ, Sky. I haven't heard you cry with so much pain since your mom…"

I grimace at his words. When I finally realized what being dead truly meant, I cried for my mom like I had just lost her when it had been two years since her death. The thought of never seeing her, or even my father again, felt like a thousand knives through my chest. That time, I also went back to being mute for two months. I can see why Uncle Peter is so terrified that I might resort to alienating myself from the family with only Derek for company except this time Derek and I are not too happy with each other. With another sigh, I tell Uncle Peter part of the problem. I still stand firm on letting Derek come clean all on his own however wrong and dangerous that may be.

"He's dating someone that's bad for him, and he won't understand. I am angry at him because of that." I say without looking at him.

He stays quiet for a while. His breathing goes from briefly labored to normal and steady. "Sky, who is she?"

"I dunno."

"Then how do you know she's no good?" I can hear the skepticism in his voice.

"Remember you told me to trust my instincts? That's exactly what I'm doing. She's… she just looks evil and wrong. Plus, she's older so…"

"Older?"

"Yeah. Like six years older than him."

"Jesus," he whistles, and I finally look up at him to judge his reaction. He rubs the back of his neck as he frowns at the floor not doubt trying to pinpoint who this girl is. But he can't do that. Not with the measly amount of information I have given him. "Well, we will have to have a talk with Derek. Adam will want to know what she looks like. Can you describe her for us?"

Oh God, this is it. I will describe Kate, and my uncles will piece the puzzle together. This cannot be good. Crap. I should have kept my mouth shut. Derek will be in heaps of trouble. I weigh the pros and cons. In one hand, my uncles knowing about Derek and Kate could be good. They will take care of the affair before anyone gets hurt, even more. However they decide to deal with it though could be bad. If the dispute between us and the hunters finally blows up, there could be deaths. Blood will be spilled whether I say anything or not.

Then there's Derek. The family can shun him for his betrayal possibly shattering completely our mending relationship as a family. Also, if he has any feelings for Kate, he will hurt. He will hurt badly if this ends with her death. God, what do I do? An unexpected savior stops me before I make a decision, whichever it is. Kitty jumps on the banister and hisses at Uncle Peter, who arches his eyebrows at the feline for the hostility. Giggling, I open my arms for Kitty, who much to my surprise actually jumps on me and purrs lovingly against my neck.

"What's gotten into you, cat?" I smile as I stroke his head. "You don't hug me anymore."

"He's a very weird cat," Uncle Peter mumbles as Kitty hisses at him again.

Uncle Peter seems to have forgotten or at least put aside the topic of Derek, for the moment. I know he will bring up eventually, and I'm sure he will talk to Uncle Adam. By tomorrow morning, all of this could blow up. Being overprotective as an Alpha and father, Uncle Adam will surely demand Derek tell him the identity of the older woman Derek is seeing, and he won't give up until he has the name of the woman, and she is locked up or in this case, dead. With a sigh, I realize I have actually ratted Derek out. Fantastic.

"He said yes!" Laura comes running out of her dad's studio and pulls me toward the door.

"I haven't asked Uncle Peter," I tell her setting Kitty down, who rubs up against my leg still purring and very affectionate. What a weirdo. "Can I go out with Laura?" I ask Uncle Peter.

"Where are you going?"

"McDonald's," Laura replies for me. "We skipped dinner, and Sky and I are in serious need of some fatty food." She pouts and bats her eyelashes at Uncle Peter.

He chuckles knowing exactly what Laura is doing. He turns to watch me closely no doubt considering keeping me home, so we can talk about Derek. He looks at his wrist watch and sighs. "Hurry back. You two have exams tomorrow." He points his index finger at me. "If you fail French, Sky, so help me you'll be homeschooled again." With that he returns to Uncle Adam's studio. "Oh by the way, we still need to talk about what you told me. Tomorrow after your exam."

I hold back a groan as I follow Laura out the door. She seems to be in a good mood as she unlocks the doors of Hermione. I love Hermione. She's such a pretty car and runs like a dream. Oh, I cannot wait for my sixteenth birthday! Uncle Peter has taken me to a car dealership to pick out a car, and he has promised to buy it for me. Secretly though, I long for a red BMW bike, which I'll never get because bikes are 'dangerous.' Whatever.

"What does Uncle Peter want to talk about?" Laura asks as we hit the road.

"Derek and our fight." I shrug. "I won't tell him how I feel though. Like I said it's embarrassing."

"Stop that," she smacks my hand. "It's not embarrassing."

"I still don't want to tell anybody," I turn in my seat to face her. "Please promise me you'll keep this a secret."

"Do you have to ask?" She smiles widely. "I will take it to my grave. Girl Scout Honor."

"Thanks Lulu," I turn and relax in my leather seat letting the wind tousle my hair. It feels wonderful to be out even with the chills all over my body and suddenly aching muscles.

Laura pulls up at the McDonald's, and we both climb out. At the counter, Laura orders four Big Mac's and one Happy Meal. For me, I order a salad which Laura can't believe since we came here for fatty goodness not salads. In the end, Laura starts flirting with the cashier, a guy in his early twenties with blond hair and green eyes. If Laura and this guy get together, they will have perfect green eyed babies with golden manes running around. I sit in a booth admiring how Laura works the guy like a puppet getting yet another Spiderman toy and a free milkshake.

With a hand under my chin, I admire Laura's confidence as she bats her eyelashes at him. She giggles elegantly and not annoying at all. The way she flips her hair seems so nonchalantly and endearing. And every times she leans back, the guy leans forward like in the cartoons when the character smells or sees something delicious. Why can't I be like her? Why can't I have any guy I want? I mean I know I'm cute and adorable, but I'm not beautiful or sexy. God, I'm so pathetic.

"Holy shit," a boy sits across from me. "Aren't you Sky Hale? Derek's little cousin?"

I glower at the boy with shiny, tousled, curly, dark hair and blue eyes. "Aren't you Camden Lahey? The womanizing loser who gets wasted while pretending he's the perfect swim team captain?"

His eyes get wide with surprise, but he soon shakes it off and gives me a lopsided grin. Grr. Curse him; he's actually hot even though his lips are a little thin. Still, they look soft and… Woah, there. He is Derek's loser best friend.

He doesn't say anything as he just grins and leans back against the booth and attempts to look cool. I cross my arms over my chest as his eyes begin to roam over me. If I didn't know better, I'd say Camden is checking me out. But I do know better, and he is in fact checking me out.

"What do you want Camden?" I ask as he just keeps checking me out with that stupid yet sexy grin on his face.

He shrugs and runs his hands through his hair 'nonchalantly.' "Just want to know how you're doing. I haven't seen you in a while, so how are you doing on this fine, starry evening?"

"I was doing awesome until a lowlife loser decided to grace me with his presence." I make sure to narrow my eyes at him leaving no room for question as to what loser I'm referring to.

"I bet that loser is hot," his grin gets wider. "That loser must feel awful to have ruined your night though. Is there any way he can make you happy?"

Wow. He's seriously and shamelessly flirting with me. Lovely. I attract losers, hot losers. Okay, stop that Sky. He is no good; he has a reputation of being a party, pretty boy, so it is safer to just get rid of him.

"He can leave," I say as I glance at Laura hoping she catches on to the pleading look in my eyes, but she's much too busy leaning towards the guy as if they are about to lock lips. Instead, she whispers something in his ear, and he laughs. God, why did McDonalds have to be dead tonight?

"Ok," Camden places his hand over his heart. "Ouch! Do you really want me to leave?" He sighs when I only stare at him still with my arms over my chest. He chuckles quietly and runs his hand through his hair. "Fine. I'm going. Besides Derek will rip my head off if he finds out I've been talking to his little Sky."

Oh! Bring it on! If talking to Camden will piss off Dee, then fuck it! I'll talk to the loser, the hot loser.

"Hey, sorry." I grab his hand as he is about to get up. "I'm just cranky I'm sitting here all by myself." I give him a smile that Laura calls Megan Fox worthy, or I hope I give him that kind of smile and I don't look stupid instead.

Camden sits back across from me with a triumphant and arrogant smile on his lips. "Fear no more little lady, Camden to the rescue."

Once again, his eyes roam over me, and he nods as if he approves of the merchandise. Guys like Camden, and even his buddy Sean, are always on the lookout for a girl to use. In most cases Camden and Sean's victims are girls full of insecurities that they can woo with pretty words and empty promises. Camden is that two faced jerk butt that pretends to be perfect in front of his parents, but to the public, he is the bad boy type that parents don't want their daughters to date let alone breathe the same air. Camden is the kind of guy that Uncle Peter would not approve of me seeing even though Derek and Camden have been best friends since kindergarten. Feeling rebellious, I decide to play along.

"My knight in shining armor," I grin and bat my eyelashes at him.

He chuckles and leans forward. "Little Sky is here to play."

"I don't appreciate the adjective," I keep the amused grin on my face while inside I just want to smash Camden's face against the table as he keeps calling me 'little.' Is no one ever going to take me serious? The annoyance must be clear in my face though because Camden quickly amends.

"Oh, yeah," suddenly Mr. Cool is gone and instead I have a blushed and nervous Camden in front of me. He looks cuter like this. "You're right. You're not little; I can see _that_." He arches his eyebrows suggestively. "You're really beautiful."

"Holy shit," my jaw hits the table. Did I just get called beautiful by an older guy? Play it cool, Sky. "You _are _hitting on me. You do know I'm thirteen, right?"

He shrugs and Mr. Cool returns. "Age is just a number, babe. Besides who wouldn't hit on you? I bet you got the guys howling for you."

"Not really," I shrug as I look down at my hands. The only guy I ever had howling for me was Josh… and Beto… and David… and Justin… Ok plenty of guys, but they are all my age. This is the first time I get attention from an older guy that happens to be Derek's best friend and a player who wants nothing more than to get into my pants. Why didn't I stick with Josh?

"The guys are losers in this town anyway except for me of course." I snort at his words while he chuckles and looks behind me. He nods at someone then gets up. "Sorry to leave you, but I gotta go. Talk to you later, Sky." He gives me one last wink and departs not even waiting for my response. I resist the urge to look behind me to see whom he left with, not that I care anyway.

Laura decides to join me then. She waltzes happily towards me sipping on a chocolate milkshake and carrying a strawberry one for me.

"Thank Eric for the milkshake," Laura says as she turns to wave at the guy one last time and even blows him a kiss. The guy pretends to catch the kiss and place it in the pocket of his uniform shirt. With a toss of her hair, Laura walks out of the restaurant with me trailing behind her. I glance over my shoulder at the guy who is grinning like a lovesick puppy.

"Oh my God," I giggle uncontrollably once we are both finally settled inside Hermione. "Someone is very smitten."

"What?" She snorts though I can see her eyes glow beautifully. "Why would you say that?"

"My goodness Laura! You were shamelessly flirting with that guy!" I sip on the milkshake and moan. "Goddamn, this is good. You better marry him."

"Woah there girlfriend," she throws her head back and laughs as we stop at a red light. "I just met him, and you already want me to marry him? We have a date for this weekend though."

"Laura and Eric sitting in a tree… Ouch!" I stop my song when Laura punches me lightly in the arm though she still laughs.

"I wasn't the only one shamelessly flirting," she says once our laughter dies down. "You and Camden, huh?" She turns to briefly wiggle her eyebrows at me suggestively.

"Keep your eyes on the road psycho!"

"Don't be coy with me. I heard the whole thing." She clears her throat then in a high pitched voice mimics me. "'My knight in shining armor!' Oh and let's not forget him," she clears her throat again and continues in a deep voice. "'You're really beautiful,' oh and my favorite, 'age is just a number babe.'"

I just shake my head not even considering replying to her silly teasing. Whatever happened with Camden, well, it won't happen again because he and I don't really mean anything serious. He wants to get into my pants, and I just want word to reach Derek that he is not the center of my universe. Hell, I want Derek to think that he's mistaken, and I don't love him.

"He's hot," Laura says after a while. "Camden, I mean. And he's a good kid deep inside. I know hard to believe with all the stupid crap he's done, but he recently lost his mom, and I'm sure he's just acting out as a way of coping. Do be careful though. He, like Derek, has the tendency to do whatever Sean suggests."

I simply nod not bothering to tell Laura that boys are not in my priorities at the moment. Right now, I just want to be whole again. The thing with Derek didn't work out. He doesn't want me, and I deluded myself thinking we could reach a point where he would. For now, I just want to forget Derek and make sure his affair with Kate ends as swiftly and painlessly as possible.

By midnight, we have finished our food while talking about Eric, who is a politics major at the community college. Laura, of course having a thing for nerdy boys, can't shut up about him. At some point, Laura decides that midnight is the perfect time to study for Calculus. Knowing I'll just have nightmares if I stay and listen to her go over how to solve something or other, I retire to my room after one last hug to my favorite person in the world.

Once I'm in my own bed, I stare up at the ceiling. Then I roll over to my right side and hug the pillow next to me. With a groan, I inhale Derek's lingering smell. God, I hate him. I hate how much I love him. Godfreakingdamn him. He led me on. Well, not exactly. But why couldn't he just treat me like Chase and Andre do? They love me, and I love them, but they are not overbearingly protective or get all jealous when I kiss boys. Duh! It's my own damn fault. I misinterpreted all of his actions: his singing for me, the carnations, his 'jealousy,' the way he holds me when he sleeps in my bed… All of it. I took it too seriously. It's my own damn fault I fell in love with him. If I hadn't read too much into his past actions, I could have spared myself so much heart ache.

Throwing the pillow across the room, I flip over and lay face down and looking out the open window at the stars. I don't notice the silent tears until the pillow is soaked against my cheek.

"I love you Derek," the words are whispered as a last proclamation of my love for him just as my heavy eyelids begin to close. And then, I promise myself to let him go.

_Derek_

This morning, I wake up without Aunt Julie banging on my door. Dreading the day, I get out of bed and ready for a miserable day. Not only do I have final exams, but I have to face the entire family and of course, Sky. God, I hate me right now, but probably not as much as she hates me. After putting on a gray, short sleeved and v-neck shirt with dark pants, I head out of my room. On the hallway, I pass Sky's room. Pressing my ear against the door, I hear her moving around. She picks up the bottle of perfume, which smells like lilacs and sugar, from her dresser. She sprays some and inhales softly. Her footsteps move over to her desk, and she begins to mumble to herself in French. I frown at her words, for what little I understand, she is just going over verbs and sentence structure. She doesn't sound pissed off. She's doesn't sound like she has been crying.

"Son," Dad startles me and makes me immediately remove my fist from Sky's door. "I want to have a word with you." His voice makes me think he means business, and I know the sermons are about to begin.

Without another word, Dad heads down stairs, and I have no option but to follow him. He waits for me on the threshold of his studio. Ushering me inside, he closes the door. I remove a thick folder from one of the couches and place it on the floor. The entire room is covered with folders: his desk, the couches, and the coffee table. It's like a tornado really hit this place. Usually Dad is too organized, which Laura inherited from him. Even when he has many cases piled up, he has everything sorted out. This must be a big case.

"What's all this?" I ask him motioning with my hands to the mess.

"Work," he states obviously as he sits on the edge of his desk. "One of the companies Peter exports to has gone bankrupt. We are making sure the clauses are tight and Peter doesn't lose anything." He shakes his head. "I don't understand why your uncle would take the risk of still exporting to that company."

"Maybe he thought the situation in the company wasn't so bad," I shrug and lean back on the couch. "Did he check the numbers though? Profits versus losses? Did the company even give him the right numbers?"

Dad stares at me like I've grown a second head. "Huh, we hadn't thought of that," he rubs his chin as he goes deep in thought. His eyes meet mine, and he grins. "You are very bright you know. I just wish you'd stop wasting your time with friends and do something productive. You should ask Peter to take you in as some sort of intern."

I shrug. "I'm only sixteen."

"It's never too early to start on your future. Andre has already asked me to take him in as my intern this summer." He chuckles and crosses his arms over his chest. "You can learn from him."

I sigh annoyed and look up at the ceiling. "Is this what you want to talk to me about? About what a waste I've turned into?"

"What?" Dad snorts. Still looking up at the ceiling, I hear him move towards the chair next to mine where he removes the folders and sits. "I wanted to tell you that you can always talk to me. I know we have collided several times, but I want you to know you can always count me."

His words take me by surprise. I thought he would really launch into another sermon about how I waste away with my friends, and I have no future. All of that stuff parents, well in this case parent, argue about with their children. Since Mom died, Dad has the tendency to breathe down Laura's and mine neck. Well, mostly mine because Laura is the perfect child as she will one day be a successful doctor or engineer. However, this conversation has taken a weird turn. I look over to my dad who is watching me closely and expectantly like he knows I have some secret which I do. Shit. Did Sky…

"Yeah, I know." I say quickly dismissing the possibility that Sky has said something. If she had, Dad would not be talking calmly to me. He would be in full Alpha form throwing me across the room like a rag doll. "Thanks." I get up from my seat.

"Is there nothing you want to talk about?" Dad says as I pick up my bag. "Not even about Sky?"

"What about her?" I ask cautiously because there are several things going on with Sky like the fact that she loves me, she knows about Kate and she can blow the secret, or possibly that I might have feelings for Sky. Waking up this morning, I realized I dreamt of her all night which is sort of disturbing… in a good way if that makes sense.

"Well, she was crying uncontrollably last night. Neither you nor she have said much." He shrugs and waits for me to say something.

"She's just… I don't know. I'll fix it though." Making my way to the door, Dad stops me again.

"You know how I knew your mom would be my mate?" He speaks softly and sadly. Intrigued and more than happy to hear about Mom, I walk back to the couch and sit like a school boy about to hear the best story ever told which I probably am. Dad doesn't talk about Mom because it hurts him so much, and when she was around, I was too little to understand the story of their mating.

"I didn't know she would be the one," he continues as he gets this faraway look in his eyes. "We were best friends when we were kids, you know? Exactly like you and Sky, we were inseparable. Then one day, I just realized Marina was not little anymore. We started going out, and one day after a full moon, Andre commented that the eyes of my wolf were no longer golden. He said I took the eye color of Marina's own eyes. The wolf in me recognized our mate even before I did. The same thing happened to her. Her own wolf recognized me. After that, there was no going back: Marina became my everything. She challenged me in ways no one ever did. She just made me feel invincible." A sad yet loving smile plays on his lips. "Do you know why the wolf takes the eye color of his mate's?"

I shake my head because I have never understood how our wolves seem to identify who we are supposed to spend the rest of our lives with. Uncle Peter is the one who gives us the lessons of our history not only as werewolves but also as the Hale family. In one of his recent lessons, Uncle Peter explained to us all about mates and the bonding ceremony. I never did pay attention as my thoughts had been too, huh, preoccupied. Now I regret not paying attention because I should probably know this.

"The eyes are often called the windows to the soul," Dad continues as he fixes his tie around his neck. "Simply put, the eyes reflect your soul which essentially matches the soul of your mate hence the name 'soul mates.'" He puts his dark coat on and picks up his suitcase. "Have a good day at school son and good luck with exams."

"Why are you telling me all this?" I ask him as he opens the door to his studio while I remain sitting in the chair.

Dad simply shrugs and gives me a small smile. "It's good that you know this stuff. If Laura doesn't want to be Alpha, you'll have to be. Knowledge is everything. It can be the difference between life and death. Besides, you never know what you have until you lose it." He winks at me then leaves.

What the hell was that about? What the hell is going on is a better question. First, Sky blows up and stabs my tires. She goes to see Kate and slaps her. Second, _I _explode and break Sky's heart. And now this lecture on werewolf mating? If Sky said something about my relationship with Kate, it's possible Dad thinks I've found my mate. That's just crazy though because I don't want anything with Kate. Holy shit. I don't want anything with Kate. I thought I did, but I don't. She's not the one for me; it's all about the sex, and she seems willing to fix the bad blood between us like I do. It's one of the reasons we started seeing each other.

I had met her at the bar while I was hanging out with Camden, Sean, and Sean's big brother who happens to work as bartender at Joe's Bar. Kate had approached me and told me she knew what I was. At first, I had only growled at her when she told me who _she_ was. Then as I listened to her tell me how she was tired of the stupid fight between our families, I figured this would be my chance to do something for the family. She and I had started out by simply talking then things got heated up between us. Next thing I knew, I woke up next to her in a hotel room. For a while, I was freaked out about what had happened but soon find myself with her again. Up until now, I thought maybe after the dispute between our families ended, we could turn our relationship around and have something serious and real. The age difference between us didn't even matter. Now I realize I don't want anything with Kate. I want someone like…

"Sky!"

Her giggles carry from upstairs followed by loud stomping down the stairs. Intrigued as to what's going on and to see if she's still angry at me, I head out of Dad's studio and find Sky at the bottom of the stairs smiling hugely up at Laura.

"Hey Lulu, how did ya sleep?" Sky waves Laura's phone back and forth. "Oh Laura, I love you and want you to have my babies!" She lets out a laughter that reminds me of the sweet melodies she plays in the piano.

"Skylar, I will pummel you to a pulp if you don't stop!" Laura shouts as she races down the stairs and tries to snatch the phone from Sky's hands.

"Dear future husband," Sky shoves Laura with her foot. "I will love nothing more than to have your babies! They will be beautiful just like you. Send."

"You didn't!" Laura stops the struggle and stares horrified at Sky.

"Of course not," Sky grins mischievously and bites her lower lip. "But maybe I did." She throws the phone at Laura who catches it and quickly checks her messages. Her face relaxes immediately when she sees Sky hasn't texted whoever they are talking about.

I let out a small chuckle as Laura grabs Sky and begins to tickle her. Unfortunately, I'm not included in the fun, obviously. At the sound of my laugh, they stop abruptly and turn to glare at me. Well, only Laura glares because Sky looks anywhere but at me. Ignoring the murderous glares from Laura, I step closer to Sky. She mumbles with the straps of her school bag while I stand awkwardly in front of her. She fails to acknowledge me even while I'm inches away.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" I ask with a low voice.

"I don't think you deserve a minute," Laura snaps venomously. "Not after what-"

"Laura," Sky interrupts as she glares at my sister. "I think I can spare a minute of my time."

Sky stomps away to the family room, and I follow closely. Glancing over my shoulder, I find Laura watching after us. When she sees me watching her, she flips me off. That takes me by surprise and makes wonder what the hell I did to her. Oh right. Women. If you hurt one, they all turn against you. Of course I do deserve it. I slide the doors shut behind me and turn to Sky. She's leaning against the couch with her arms crossed over her chest. Her face though is impassive.

Before I begin my lame apology, I take a moment to check her… I mean to inspect her. She's wearing blue denim shorts and gray converse boots with a gray tank top. Her long hair is loose in her natural curls. With a sigh, she flips her hair over to her left exposing her right side. What I see twists my stomach painfully, and I feel the urge to punch myself because her upper right arm, which I grabbed roughly last night, has ugly purplish bruises. Noticing where my eyes are, Sky quickly covers her arm with her hair.

"What do you want?" She snaps.

"Did I do that?" I feel like the air has been knocked out of me. How could I hurt Sky? My Sky! Jesus. I'm a piece of…

"Yeah," she says flatly. "And your whore. She dug her nails into my flesh. Granted I did slap her. Oh and I enjoyed it. The sound of my hand on her cheek… Magic." She sneers very unlike the loving Sky I know. What the fuck have I done to her?

"Why did you go see her? That was very dangerous and…"

"Dangerous?" She narrows her eyes at me. "But I thought she was different? I thought you said she wouldn't hurt anyone in our family? Either she's bad news or she isn't. Which one is it Derek?" She spits my name out like it's poison in her lips.

"Why did you go see her?" I ask instead of admitting that I don't know any more If Kate is safe or not. Of course she's more dangerous than I thought if she dared hurt Sky like that. "Are you doing it for me? Because I'm not worth it."

She blinks a couple of times then throws her head back and laughs. "Presumptuous bastard," she says through the laughter. "I'm doing this for my family. They will be the ones who will get hurt because of your affair with the whore. Oh I'm sure you'll hurt too when you finally realize she doesn't love you and is only using you. However, you are right. You're not worth it. You're not my problem. You're a big boy aren't cha? Dating _women_ and whatnot."

The temperature in the room has dropped several degrees as her words sink in. Her usually sweet and gentle blue eyes are like ice stalactites through my chest. She doesn't care for me. I misinterpreted her actions. Without another word, she shoves me aside and leaves me standing like an idiot staring at the spot where she just was. My presumptions about her feelings for me have made me act like a monster towards the girl that I love the most. God, now she doesn't even consider me family and she shouldn't. As a family, we shouldn't hurt each other. Yes, every family has disputes and people end up hurt. But breaking her heart and hurting her so much, I've done it over the years but more so since I started my affair with Kate.

Kate has become like a thick fog in my head unable to let me see and analyze a single thought or sort through all my emotions. Pulling out my phone from the back pocket of my pants, I text Kate to see me after school at the hotel room. She doesn't text back not like I expected her to.

"Derek!" Laura screeches. "Hurry the heck up if you want a ride to school!"

With a new purpose ahead of me, I leave the family room and head outside where Laura is waiting for me already in her car. As I buckle up, Sky comes running out laughing happily followed by Chase, who grabs her and throws her over his arm. Chase and Andre cackle while Sky pounds on Chase's back. I look away feeling jealous that I'm not the one making Sky laugh or happy. No, I'm the one who makes her cry and hurt. But today, I will fix everything.

**What do you think Derek will do to 'fix' everything? Only got like 4 chapters left. Since I have an outline of what will happen, I'm thinking of an epilogue to this. However, I want to know what y'all want: an epilogue of Sky and Derek after **_Sweet Sacrifice_** or Chapter 2 of **_I Never Told You _**in Peter's POV. The Peter's POV, you'll see how it fits with this story if you decide you want that. Anyway let me know which of the two ideas appeal to you or if you have any in mind. **


	14. Fever

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf**

**Thank you for the lovely reviews! (: And because I love y'all, I will write both epilogues! A new question: lemon or no lemon for the Derek/Sky SS epilogue? Let me know your thoughts! They do count! Anyway more drama! (: **

Chapter 13: Fever

"I can't go on," Andre wheezes. "Please go on without me! Save yourself!"

So much drama. With a sigh and a roll of my eyes, I cross my arms over my chest and glare down at my cousin.

"Shut the fuck up and get up," I tell Andre as he sits with his face on his desk. "The test is over, Andre. Don't be so overdramatic."

He just keeps groaning and holding his head like his brain has melted or died. Seriously, that test wasn't even so hard. It was all the tests we had all year put together in one long ass test. Impatiently, I tap my foot against the tile while waiting for Andre to finish with his dramatics. All our classmates are gone even the Pitts is gone except for us two. At first it had been funny how after the last test had been turned in and the Pitts dismissed us, Andre and a couple other guys shouted 'hallelujah.' Then Andre smacked his forehead on his desk as everyone ran out, and he kept murmuring how the last question would be the death of him. I had simply laughed and told him the last question was extra credit. Still, he went on with his Lady Macbeth worthy performance. At last, my patience and amusement have left, so I grab Andre's bag and tug on his arm.

"Come on drama queen," I sigh as he keeps on groaning and walking rather sluggishly next to me. "It's summer! Get hyped up dude!"

That seems to finally snap Andre out of his dramatic thoughts. He takes his bag out of my hands, screams incoherently in my face, and runs ahead doing cartwheels. I giggle as he collides with a locker then regains his footing and bursts outside shouting for his friends. The hallways are pretty much empty by now. The school is like a ghost town with ripped papers thrown everywhere. Even the posters that have survived all year are on the floor stomped on by a thousand hyper kids. I smile widely as I finally reach the main doors and watch as my classmates throw paper planes all over the place. Some girls cry in groups and hug promising to text, Skype, call, and email every day. I shake my head and roll my eyes. They all live in the same fucking town and neighborhood! It's not the end of the world. And that is why I don't have many girl friends; I'm not patient with drama which is sort of ironic because lately I've living with drama incarnate.

"Hey!" Beto waves at me from across the front lawn. "Sky! Sign my yearbook, _chica_!"

"Wow," Justin, next to Beto, shakes his head. "That's not gay at all."

"_Cállate_!" Beto hisses. "All girls are required to sign with phone numbers. Who's gay now?"

I giggle at their argument. "Beto, you already have my number, _chico_, but if you still want me to sign…"

"Duh! _Ahora_!"

I giggle once again at his impatience. All of a sudden though, it's like I'm some celebrity. Several kids, mostly boys, approach me with their own yearbooks. I even hear someone shout 'Sky is giving away her number!' It's so ridiculous, yet it makes me feel all warm inside. Some girls ask me to sign their yearbooks too and even ask for a picture with me. Honestly, some of these girls didn't even talk to me all year long, and now they want a photo? What the deuce? But oh well. I'm going with the flow.

"Sign mine?" Josh asks timidly once the crowd sort of disperses. "Hi."

"Hi," I smile shyly as I take his yearbook and his pen. I stare at the blank space unsure of what to write. What do you write to your ex-boyfriend whom you haven't spoken to since the breakup? I close the yearbook and look up at him. "Josh, I am so sorry about how things ended between us. I just want you to know that you deserve someone who will give you everything because I can't…"

"Because you like someone else," Josh looks down at his shoes. "It's ok. I understand. I just want to know… why him?"

What the… Does he know? How does he know? Goddamn does the entire world know? Has someone posted it on MySpace or some other social media? Ok, just play it cool and innocent. "Who?"

"Camden," Josh sighs annoyed as he runs his hands through his hair. "Why Camden Lahey? He's such a loser." He chuckles. "Sorry. I didn't mean to…" He trials off as I just stare at him open mouthed and definitely confused. "Look, don't get mad. I just thought I could talk to you without getting all pissed off, but it's just… hard. Camden, he's a bad boy, yeah, I get how girls like that sort of thing…"

"Woah," I finally recover from the shock and remember how to close my mouth and, well, just function. "Where did you even hear that Camden and I have a thing? Because…"

"Justin told Beto who heard it from Eliza who was talking to Carla whose sister works at McDonald's…"

"Why couldn't you just say Carla's sister saw me?" I giggle at Josh's convoluted explanation. When I see Josh is not amused, I just clear my throat and tuck a strand of my hair behind my left ear. "Um, yeah. Whatever she saw it's all wrong…"

Wait, why am I explaining myself? Josh and I are done. I mean yeah I owe him an apology for the sudden break up, but I don't owe him anymore than that. Hell, I don't even tell Uncle Peter what I do on a daily basis, mostly because he's too busy but even if he gave me more attention, I wouldn't tell him.

"So you and him are not together?" Josh asks a little too hopeful.

Well, that will just not do. I can't be giving Josh the wrong impression that is what has gotten _me _in trouble in the first place. Josh has been my friend for so long that the last thing I want is for him to hurt. God, he's such a great kid! He's cute, smart, funny, easy going, and loves to talk! I'm sure he will find someone way better than me.

"No we are not a thing," I want to grab his hand, but that would just be making things worst, so instead I look into his gorgeous eyes. "But you and I can't be either. I'm sorry. It's not because of Camden or any guy, it's because I'm not…"

"Ready?" He finishes for me. "I get it. You're young. We're young but maybe, in the future, would you be willing to give me another shot? I really like you, Sky. How many girls curse like sailors yet look cute when they do? Just you."

I punch him lightly in the arm while I smile like an idiot. Josh sure has a way with words. Once again I find myself cursing Derek and how much I love him. If I didn't love him, Josh and I would be the cutest damn couple in Beacon Hills. Years from now, when Josh and I are married, everyone will say how cute our love story is to have dated from middle school. But I also realize, in that same moment, that I don't want cute. I want passion, even though I'm young, I know what I want. And I also know I can't have that. Maybe I'm the one who's cursed.

Josh's words hang between us as we stand there surrounded by our classmates, who are without a doubt eavesdropping in our conversation. But I can only care about his eyes which are filled with hope; hope that I can either feed or crush completely. I decide to feed it. Yeah, it's wrong and unfair to make Josh wait for me, but I'm a selfish creature, sue me. Even though I don't want cute, but once I'm over Derek and Josh and I are grown up, maybe we could have a real relationship. Besides do I really want to crush his heart even more?

"Sure why not," I open up his yearbook and sign it with just my name like I've done for everyone. "In a few years, call me and we'll see. Have a great summer!" I wink at him and walk away from the crowd deciding that it is enough boy drama for one day.

Andre catches up to me as I walk towards Dr. Deaton's clinic. He is supposed to give me a book for Uncle Adam. However Andre invites me to get some ice cream, his treat, and I can't say no to free ice cream! Even if I am sick of ice cream. He goes inside to get our delectable dairy desserts while I save us a seat outside. The day is gorgeous with a light breeze and the sun high in the sky. There is not a single cloud above, and it's even better because there's no sight of the whore across the street. No sight of her or him. Can my day get any better? Well, it could if this damn headache, muscle aches and slight chills would just go away. I make a mental note to grab some aspirins when I get home. Andre comes out then with two ice creams; I grab mine and thank him as I begin licking the dairy goodness.

Andre sits across from me and jerks his head to the left to keep his long dark brown hair from his eyes.

"Dude, you need a haircut," I comment as I lick my butter pecan ice cream. "I can't even see your eyes anymore. What color are they? Pink? Purple?"

"Ha-ha. You know they are green," he rolls his eyes, or I think he does. "You're the odd one out."

I snort. "Thanks for the reminder. I'm the charity case." I meant the words to come out as joke, but I can hear the bitter and angry tone behind them.

"You're not," Andre says firmly and with some hint of anger as well. He is one of the few that I've told how I feel like I don't belong with the Hales. "You're part of the family and the pack. Don't tell yourself otherwise."

"No sir," I salute him but smile gratefully for his kind words. "Anyway, how are you?"

He shrugs. "I'm all right. That test did freak me out especially the listening part. I can never understand the Pitts."

I laugh because Andre is now addressing Monsieur Pitts as 'the Pitts.' Andre had resisted all year long from addressing our teacher like that even when I called Andre a sissy and even pussy. He would just not give in; he's too well mannered. The only reason he's doing it now is to avert my question. I asked him how he is coping with the death of his brother, and Andre knows it. He just refuses to acknowledge it. I stop laughing and shake my head at him.

"You know what I meant," The metal of my chair scrapes the concrete floor as I get closer to Andre. "How are you doing with Jesse…"

"I'm better," he doesn't even let me finish as he just stares at his ice cream and his hair falls over his forehead covering his eyes. "I can at least breathe. It was like I had this knot in my throat, choking me. I felt like I was slowly dying."

I nod. We all must have felt like that. Hell, we probably still do but not so much anymore. Sarah is back to caring for Tyler and Dylan, who are becoming even more of a handful running up and down the stairs. Aunt Julie has gone back to work too, part time at the hospital again. Chase is back on track with his studies; he even has a girlfriend now which happens to be Carla's sister, Elizabeth. Sophie is beyond herself with the baby; she likes to rub the photo of the baby on everyone's face even though we've all seen it. Aunt Grace, well, we have finally seen her. Since Jesse's death, she would spend a lot of time at her bakery shop. And Uncle Adam seems more cheerful. He still has the longest to go in order to heal; the death of one of his pack members has seriously taken a toll on him, and I think he still blames himself. Uncle Peter is still Uncle Peter. He is driven by anger and thirst for revenge. He keeps pushing Uncle Adam to declare war on the Argents. Recently though, he is much too busy with work that he has let up a little with the whole 'kill all Argents' vibe.

Ever so slowly, we are all healing. Like Andre says, we are at least finally able to breathe. The knot has become smaller which is a great feat in itself, but it won't ever truly go away. The loss of Jesse is there in the house suffocating us. We feel his absence the most when no one screams his name in the morning because he's being a pain in the ass. When no one is rallying us up for a soccer match, we know Jesse is gone. It's just an everyday reminder when his face is nowhere to be seen but the photos along the walls. He is definitely with us, in our hearts and minds, but he's not tangible or attainable and that still hurts.

"I also don't feel the urge to live for him," Andre continues pulling me out of the abyss that is once again growing just by thinking of Jesse. "I was trying so hard, you know? To be him and me at the same, but it was hard and really tiring. I have finally realized he wouldn't want me to wear myself out." He shakes his head. "Does that make sense?"

"Perfect sense," I nod and lean my head on his shoulder. "It's unfair that he's gone when he was so young, and here we are, alive. We are alive, and he's not. We are alive with life ahead of us, and it feels like the least you can do is live his life for him."

"Exactly!" Andre exclaims as he rests his head on top of mine. Our ice creams are forgotten.

"When did you realize you didn't one to live his life anymore?"

He shrugs lightly. "When you played the piano for us, I thought 'I have to dislike the piano. I have to dislike lots of things, but I don't want to. Would Jesse want me to give up what I want for him?' I knew the answer was no. Jesse was a pain in the butt, but he wasn't selfish."

"No, he wasn't," I sigh deeply and lift my head to look at Andre. He is still staring at his now melted ice cream. His mouth is turned downward in sadness, and briefly I catch the unshed tears in his eyes. My chest constricts with pain feeling Andre's sadness. Without another thought or word, I lean forward and kiss his right cheek. "If you ever need to talk, I'm here." I tell him leaning against his shoulder again.

"Thanks Sky," I can hear the smile on his lips. "Same to you. I don't know what's going on with you and Derek, but if you need to talk, you can count me. I will even threaten to punch him though you know I can't because I'm puny, and he's, well, a you know what."

We both look at each other and begin to laugh. Of course Derek could kick Andre's butt, and Andre is not stupid enough to go up against him. It is the sentiment that counts though. Once our laughter quiets down, I lean my head once more on his shoulder, and we sit like that for a while. A couple of dumbasses whistle and tease us thinking we are lovers or something. The guys teasing us are high schoolers which can only mean their first exam day is over.

"Andre Hale!" Samuel, one of Andre's friends, shouts as he walks with a group across the street passing a soccer ball between them. "Come join us bro! Or you rather stay with your girlfriend?!" A couple of them snicker while others roll their eyes.

"That's his cousin, _idiota_!" Beto joins the crowd then followed by Josh and the other guys.

"I know that!"

"Then why are you teasing?" Josh shakes his head and stuffs his hands on his jean's pockets.

"Because she don't look like his cousin," Samuel responds with his own head shake. "It was a joke."

"Learn grammar before you make jokes!" I shout at Samuel as I dispose of my ice cream. "It's 'she doesn't.' Dumbass."

The group of guys laughs at my comeback, though lame and nerdy, very effective.

"Want to go?" Andre asks me while a smirk plays on his lips. "You can kick Sam's butt in a match."

I glance at the group of guys and glaring specially at Samuel. It sounds very tempting. Soccer: running, sweat, dirt, the sweet feeling of success when I score a goal, but I can't deal with Josh. He looks at me wistfully like almost asking me to say yes, so he can hit sweetly hit on me. I bite my lip; I really want to play, but Josh…

"Nah," I pick up my bag from the floor. "I'm going to see Dr. Deaton then head home. I don't feel so hot."

"Then stop being so hot," Camden surprises me by whispering against my ear. His hot breath tickles and thrills me at the same time. Oh God, what's wrong with me?

"That's like asking the sun not to be hot either," I whisper back and turn to face him.

It is then I realize just how close we are. His lips are on inches away from my forehead, and if he leans downward, our lips would meet. There's a miniscule distance between our bodies that if he wanted to, he could encircle me in his arms and… Holy shit. I take a giant step back after what's been probably fifteen whole seconds.

"Um, then maybe we should do something to cool you off," he gives me a lopsided grin that makes my heart skip a beat.

"What do you have in mind?" I arch my left eyebrow and grin wickedly at him.

"Skinny dipping in the lake," he whispers as he takes several small steps toward me.

It feels like he's a predator and I'm the prey. I gulp feeling thrilled not only because as the prey, I am desired, granted the prey ends up dead but… the point is I'm desired. Also the thought of skinny dipping with Camden freaking Lahey gives me the chills, in a good way. Oh. My. Sweet. Baby. Buddha. Since when do I want to get naked with guys? Feeling a blush creep into my cheeks, I look away from his hypnotizing blue eyes.

"Dude," Andre suddenly appears next to me. "There's such thing as personal space."

Camden smirks and steps back. "Miss Hot Lady here wasn't complaining Andre."

"Yeah well, I am." Andre snaps back and grabs my elbow pulling me away from Camden eve more. "I will walk you home."

"It's fine Andre," I shrug and throw my school bag over my shoulder. "I can handle Camden. Just go have fun!"

"I can't leave you with that asshole!" Andre hisses quietly. "Even if he is Derek's best friend, he's got a really bad reputation."

"I can take care of myself," I roll my eyes. "Need I remind you I kicked Derek in the balls." With a grin I walk away in the direction of Dr. Deaton's clinic knowing Camden will follow.

As I walk, I spare a glance in the direction of the guys across the street. They all have gone silent as they ogled Camden and me. Soon, I make eye contact with Josh. His face is a deep red and his hands are fisted at his sides. We both look away at the same time and hang my head shamefully. How could I flirt with Camden? Especially in front of Josh or better yet in front of my own cousin! Jeez, there's something off about me lately. I don't know what it is. I just have this urge to piss off the world, but most importantly, piss off a certain sexy werewolf.

"That was intense," Camden says out of nowhere. I hadn't even noticed he was walking next to me. "I thought those boys would lynch me. Your cousin, I understand he's being protective, but damn. I didn't know you are _that_ popular with the boys." He chuckles. "Of which one should I be the most jealous of though?"

"No one," I shove him lightly as I fall back into that rebellious and flirtatious Sky. "They are my friends."

"Well, that's a relief," he throws his arm over my shoulder. "So where are we going? Skinny dipping? The moon? Or are we going to freely roam this town flaunting our love? Oh, I can't decide."

I can't help it. I throw my head back and giggle reminding myself to be like Laura: elegant yet alluring. "The moon. I won't get naked with a guy, and we are not in love."

"Yet." He says tapping my nose with his left index finger. "But seriously, where are you taking me? Are you going to take advantage of me? Oh, I do hope so!"

"I'm not you." I answer with a snort. Even though I meant it as a joke, my words clearly hurt him. His grin disappears, and he drops his arm from around me. "I'm sorry."

He shrugs. "It's ok. It's all everyone knows or thinks they know." He stops walking, so I do too. "I haven't told anyone this because it doesn't help my bad boy reputation, but I like you, Sky. I hear so much about you…"

"Derek?"

"Yeah, he talks a lot about you, and just how unbelievable you are. No seriously! He says you are too beautiful to be real because of those piercing blue eyes, and apparently you have a sailor's mouth! And then he also says you're kind, strong, and just… unbelievable! And that's just what Derek says, you should hear the other boys…"

"What were you going to tell me?" I interrupt not really caring what the other boys say about me. I also want to change the topic from Derek apparently speaking so highly of me when to my face he calls me an immature child. The last thing I want right now is reasons to forgive Derek. He deserves nothing from me.

"Oh yeah," he clears his throat and grabs my shoulders gently. "I don't do any of those things people blame me for. Yeah, I get drunk and I've gotten high, but it's my only escape. Since my mom died, my dad is just going nuts! He wants me and my brother Isaac to be like these perfect children in memory of Mom. It's too much pressure. So yeah, I act out, but he refuses to see it. Anyway, Sean… he's the real womanizer. He spreads those lies about me to give me more bad boy vibe, but I don't want you to think that."

Laura was right. Camden is only acting out because of grief. That, I can relate to. I know I shouldn't be too quick to believe Camden because if he is really a womanizing jerk, then he has to have a poet's mouth to have the girls eating out of his hand. Still, I can see the sincerity of his words in his eyes. For once, his lips are not twisted in an arrogant smirk. He really wants me to believe him. He really wants me to know the truth.

"Why me?" I try not to sound pathetic with my question, but I can't help it. Camden is the same age as Derek. Shouldn't Camden consider me young and immature too?

"I told you. I hear you're too unbelievable, and you are." There's still no smirk on his face meaning he's still being utterly serious.

I don't know how to respond to that, so I don't. I just chew on my lower lip trying to decide whether I should believe everything Camden says, or if I should be running for the hills because he's too good of a liar. He snickers no doubt proud at having rendered me speechless. Once again, he throws his arm over me, and we resume our walking, in silence, to Dr. Deaton's clinic. Once we reach it though, I find it closed. I dial his cellphone, but I get no answer. Camden waits patiently as I tap on the glass door even though the lights are out. In the end, I give up and turn to Camden.

"Well, nice talking to you." I give him a small smile and walk away.

"Woah," he grabs my hand pulling me back. "I think I should walk you home."

I shrug and take back my hand. He catches easily up to me and once again we walk in silence. How did we go from flirting to him pouring his heart out to me? Josh was right when he said I'm not ready to date. My heart is still bleeding for Derek, and I don't want to expose myself to more pain. Laura did say I should not be afraid to go out there and find the right guy for me. But when is the best time to do that? When time has passed and my heart has healed a little? Or do I do it now and hope to find a guy who mends my broken heart? I just can't and shouldn't get involved with anyone especially Camden. He could be another heartbreak in disguise, and I'm just scared.

"What's on your mind?" He asks after we keep walking in awkward silence. "Did I make you uncomfortable?"

"Not at all," I give him a brief smile. "I'm just wondering why you waited so long to talk to me."

"Derek," he says with a shrug. "He doesn't want any of us near you. He threatened to rip our dicks off." He laughs nervously.

And that makes up my mind. If getting involved with Camden will piss of Derek, then I will do it. It's not fair for Camden, but I am not completely indifferent to him so that justifies me a little right? Even though I've been walking next to him for a while now, I still can't shake off the thrill and sort of electric shock from when he touched my hand. Maybe I'm not over Derek yet, and I'm not falling head over heels for Camden, but I am sure as hell attracted to this bad boy. And oh shit! Another revelation! Camden attracts me because he is like Derek. Camden has that same vibe that Derek does: mysterious, dark, and sexy. Like Josh said, girls are attracted to bad boys, and I am no different. For what Camden has told me though, he is not completely a bad boy, but he gets close to one. The way he makes me feel, exhilarated and bold is a feeling I wouldn't have felt with Josh. Josh is sweet and all; he makes me feel beautiful and sweet, but Camden makes me feel wanted, sexy, and hot. Plus, Camden doesn't treat me like a child unlike Derek…

"Well, I'm glad you're not obeying Derek anymore," I tell Camden as I interlace my hand through his left arm.

"Obeying?" He snorts though I catch him glance at my hand on his bare upper arm. "I am my own man. I am free!"

I throw my head back and laugh. After that, talk between us is easy. He keeps teasing me about the guys, and I tease him back about the girls I've heard he's dated. We keep to light topics and not once again mention Derek. I ask him about his plans for the summer, and in turn he asks me about mine. Then somehow we end up planning a day at the lake, not skinny dipping, but definitely swimming. All through our walk, I don't remove my hand from his upper arm. He has well defined muscles no doubt from swimming, and I giggle every time he flexes them. Once or twice he mentions how hot my skin is and if that is a side effect of my hotness. Of course it's not because if it was, I would have combusted long ago out of hot I am. I still feel off. My headache is still there and my muscles keep aching. And I'm not sure if it's all the laughing and talking that has my throat hurting or if I'm getting sick. I shake off those feelings though because I'm enjoying the walk and talk with Camden. All too soon, the house comes into view, and I drop my head from his upper arm.

"Well, thanks for the company, Camden."

He frowns. "That's it? Just a thanks?" His signature playful smirk appears on his lips as he steps closer to me. "How about a thank you kiss?"

I bite my lower lip and pretend to consider it because I do want to kiss him or rather I want him to kiss me. "Um, no." I pause for effect. He pouts, and I grin. "You should be giving me a thank you kiss."

"Me? Why?" He chuckles quietly as his blue eyes twinkle with mischief.

"For letting you walk me home because I don't recall asking you to walk me. You should be the one thankful and giving _me _a thank you kiss." I arch my eyebrows suggestively as he steps even closer so that once again the distance between us is practically nonexistent.

"Well, I was taught good manners." He grins before placing his hands on my hips and slowly leaning forward to kiss me. As he touches my lips, my heart rate goes through the roof, and I find myself gripping his shoulders and pulling him closer as a warmth starts on my lips and travels all the way down to my toes. This is passion. This is like a fever. I like it.

_Derek_

Hello, my name is Derek Hale, and I am a fucking hormonal dumbass. Kicking the dirt and wishing it was me, I walk home after my 'talk' with Kate. In exasperation, I rub my face. Way to go, Derek. You failed again. I had set up a meeting with Kate to break things off with her, but that didn't happen. When I showed up at the hotel, Kate was already naked and in bed waiting for me. My brain disconnected letting my dick lead. Not a smart idea. We had screwed all over the room, and it was only later when we were both in bed resting, did I realize I was addicted to this woman.

"You hurt Sky," I had said instead of 'I'm done with you.'

She had sighed as she gave my chest wet, open-mouthed kisses. "I'm sorry about that. I lost it. It won't happen again."

Her regret for hurting Sky took me completely by surprise that I thought I had heard wrong but no. I can't hear wrong not with the super hearing I have. Sensing my disbelief, Kate had chuckled quietly.

"Don't be so surprised," she had said as she propped herself up on her elbow letting the bed sheet fall and show her chest. I had swallowed loudly as my manhood began to twitch again. "Down boy." She had smiled and kissed my lips.

"I'll be back," I said against her lips as I got up and ran to the bathroom. It was damn painful to pee with my growing boner, but I had been resisting my body needs to be with Kate. When I came back about five minutes later, she was looking through my phone.

"Nice family picture," she commented showing me the photo she was looking at. It was all of us in our last Christmas party taken by Aunt Grace's boyfriend.

"Thanks," I had said simply as my eyes rested on the black haired girl with glowing blue eyes. I had come to fix everything and give Sky some peace of mind, but I had ended up sleeping with Kate. But every time this woman touches me, it's like a fever spreads through my body making me incoherent.

"Won't you talk to me about them?" She asked out of nowhere as she kept scrolling through the pictures which mostly were of Sky and the twins. "I just want to understand you. I think that would help a lot when I talk to my father."

The woman was just full of surprises today. A little after we met and started our affair, Kate became reluctant to continue with our relationship and our plan to end the bad blood between our families. She had changed her mind again. This was what I had wanted all along. If Kate was finally willing to help, then I had to do my part. I told her all about each one of my family members. From Greg running out on Aunt Grace and the kids to Uncle Andre being killed long ago by hunters for biting a kid outside of our family. I told her all about our routines. Aunt Julie now works the night shift at the hospital. Sophie, since she found out is pregnant, takes only afternoon classes. Aunt Grace stays all morning at home to help while Aunt Julie sleeps. Chase, who took all AP classes this last semester, has already taken all his exams and sleeps all morning except when he offers to drive Sky and Andre to school. Sarah of course has to care for the twins. Sky and Andre, they would usually go to school but since are now done with school, they will probably sleep in and go out in the afternoon. My dad takes off two mornings out of the week, tomorrow being one of them, to work at home with Uncle Peter, who works in the den making phone calls all day long. Laura goes home after school to study as she only goes out on dates on the weekends.

Kate was truly impressed when I explained all about the tunnels and that they are connected to the house to make it easier to lock us up without one of us getting loose on a full moon. She asked more details about the tunnels, and I gave her all the answers like how there's a maze of tunnels but always taking the first left will eventually lead to the house. All the others lead nowhere or to a room with chains and cages for when all the wolves don't want to be in the same room. After a while, I stopped our conversation.

"I will tell you more later," I had promised as I got dressed.

"Can we meet again tonight?" She pouted. "I barely see you anymore."

I had laughed and nodded. After that I had left first. We always left at different times to avoid suspicion now she had to wait at least thirty minutes to leave. Even though I didn't exactly end things with Kate like I had originally had planned, I did manage to finally have her accept to come clean about our affair and work together to end the feud between our families. Maybe I'm not exactly a waste.

I stop abruptly when the smell of lilacs and sugar mixed with violets hits my nose. That's Sky's scent. She has been here recently. I pick up my pace and as I do so, I smell the lingering aroma of tequila with chlorine and grass… Camden Lahey. What the hell…

Time seems to come to a stop when I see Sky and Camden locked in an extremely passionate kiss; a kiss Sky should not be having at her young age especially not with Camden. The sight of Sky's fingers digging into Camden's shoulders as he grips her hips pulling her against him makes me see red. The air has been briefly knocked out of me. My hands make fists as my entire body begins to react to this outrage, this betrayal with a quiver. My best friend kissing my… my Sky. No one touches Sky. _She is mine. _

With the fury of a thousand raging bulls, I run towards Camden and grip the back of his shirt hauling him off and away from Sky. Both Sky and Camden are baffled by my sudden appearance, so they merely stare with wide eyes at me as I pin Camden against a tree. Sky is the first one to recover. She begins to shout my name and a string of profanities as she kicks and punches me. I can only concentrate on the piece of crap in front of me.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" I growl at Camden, who can only stare at me with wide eyes and open mouth as his heart gallops as fast as a race horse. "Did I not tell you and Sean to stay the fuck away from Sky?" He doesn't reply and resorts to merely shaking his head. "Oh I didn't tell you? I didn't make myself clear? Well," Pulling my arm back, I punch the guy I thought was my best friend. His head snaps to the side as blood begins to pour from his mouth. "Is that clear enough?" I say through my teeth as I shove him to the ground.

"Wha tha fawk!" Camden shouts as he covers his bloody mouth.

"Oh my God!" Sky shouts stopping her assault on me as she approaches Camden. "Holy fuck! Are you ok? Camden?"

"You too," I hiss pulling Sky up by her elbow. "Stay the fuck away from him."

"Fuck you!" She shoves me and returns to Camden's side. "Come on; let's get you to the house. Aunt Julie should still be home…"

"Oh no," I grab Sky again. "You're not bringing that piece of crap into the house. Get out of here Camden. Don't let me see you near Sky or anyone in my family again. And thank your lucky stars that I don't fucking beat you to a pulp."

"Derek man, I thought we were friends!"

"We are no longer friends!" I growl as I advance towards him while I keep a struggling Sky behind me. "I told you to stay away from her, and I can't even trust you with that simple task!"

"You know I wouldn't hurt her bro!" He spits blood out. "I don't mean her harm, I swear! I want to get to know her."

"I don't want you near her, don't you understand? _She is mine_!"

"What?" Camden frowns at my slip up. "Dude…"

"Get out here Camden before I rip your head off." The wolf inside me is not going to hold back any longer. I can feel the shift coming on, and I need this guy away from me. "Go!" The wolf manages to roar.

Without another thought or hesitation, Camden takes off looking freaked out, as he should. As soon as the sound of his feet is far away, I let go of Sky and walk away from her as I try to control the wolf in me. Throwing my head back, I howl. I don't know what or why I'm howling for exactly. There's a tornado of emotions inside me waging war on everything I had told myself over the years: Sky is too young. Sky is too innocent. Sky doesn't deserve a monster. Sky is _not _mine, and she will never be. Hanging my head, I concentrate on breathing evenly. Slowly I feel the wolf retreating hoping that soon I let him rip Camden apart. When I'm calmer, I turn to Sky who had been silent since I had let it slip she is mine.

Her arms are over chest, her posture is stiff, and her eyes throw daggers at me. I can hear her heart beating wildly in her chest though I don't know if it's because she's angry, afraid, or still excited over the kiss with Camden. That last possibility brings back my raging fury. Getting in her personal space, I grab her face between my hands. Her hands begin to punch my chest.

"What the hell were you doing kissing Camden?" I bare my teeth. "I thought he was a lowlife? I thought you knew what kind of guy he was?"

Sky scratches my arms drawing blood, but I can't feel anything but rage. "I am attracted to him, okay?" She says at last and her words are not what I want to hear. I thought she'd say she was talking to Camden to make me jealous, but why would she? She doesn't feel anything for me, not anymore.

"Let me go will you?" She sighs tiredly, and I do let her go. She picks up her school bag from the ground and walks away from me.

Picking up my own school bag, I chase after her and quickly catch up. "Stay away from…"

"Bit me, okay? Just fucking bite me. I'm not staying away from Camden because I like him. He likes me too so just back off. Let me be happy, and you be happy with your whore. I'm done with your bullshit. Asshole."

And I let her go. I let her go because if she wants to be happy with Camden, who am I to keep her from her happiness? Who am I to tell her whom not to see when I'm not listening to a word she is saying? I'm the biggest hypocrite there is if I ask her to stay away from Camden. Even though it feels like I'm being stabbed in the stomach, I will let Sky have what she wants and that is not me.

_Sky_

I'm _his? _How dare he? How fucking dare he claim me like I'm some sort of fucking trophy? I slam the door to my room followed by my school bag on the floor. My chest rises and falls heavily as I kick the bag until I remember that my phone is in there.

"Shit." I kneel and pull out my baby. "I'm sorry. It's just Derek… Gah!" I shout and lower myself on the bed.

Well, forget him Sky. Bitches are going to hate, and Derek is the biggest bitch. Ok so he's not a bitch… He's a man-whore. Yeah that fits him well. I try letting go of what just happened, but I can't. Pulling a pillow over my face, I scream my frustration, anger and a bunch of other emotions I don't even want to think about into it until my lungs give out. Not a good idea though because that just made my throat hurt even more. Agh. I need an aspirin or two possibly ten. Yeah, that's what I need get my stomach pumped. Because getting my stomach pumped does not sound appealing at all, I only take two aspirins and try, unsuccessfully, not to dwell on Derek and how he has possibly ruined a relationship I actually want.

Sighing, I think of Camden and his lips against mine. God, he sure knew what he was doing. He even used tongue! Oh my God! I should text him to see how he's doing after the mother punch Derek gave him. As we walked, I had given Camden my number, and he dialed it, so I could save his number. Grabbing my phone and sliding my finger across the screen, I realize I have four messages from Andre, two written in caps locks from Josh, one from Beto, a voice mail and missed call from Dr. Deaton, and another message from Uncle Peter. Damn. I am popular. I check Andre's first. They are all of him asking me if I'm ok, and if I need the cops. I quickly text him back saying I'm home safely. He texts immediately back.

_'Cool (: BTW Josh is pissed!' _

Josh can kiss my ass right now because I am so not in the mood to deal with more boys not even Beto who is more like a puppy. I dismiss the messages except the one from Uncle Peter.

_'Come see me when you get home. Love, Uncle Peter.' _

Gah! I don't text him back or even go see him because he wants to talk about Derek and Kate, and that is the last thing I want to. Ignoring Dr. Deaton's message, I text Camden.

_'Are you okay?'_

I stare at the screen after I send that text. For what feels like two hours, but has been like ten minutes, I stare at the stupid phone waiting for his reply. Nothing. With a groan, I throw the phone on my desk and pull the comforter over me. Stupid Derek. He has ruined what I could have had with Camden! Now he doesn't even want to talk. He doesn't want anything with me at all because Derek is a selfish and overprotective dumbass. Derek is being so ridiculous ending his friendship with Camden just because he and I happen to like each other! Agh. And when will I find someone worthy? Derek keeps ruining my relationships saying the guys are not good for me and blah, blah. Motherfreaking hypocrite.

I don't freaking need this. I shiver and pull the comforter tighter around me as a monkey hammers the inside of my skull. For two freaking weeks I've been getting these damn headaches, muscle aches, chills and now a stupid damn fever. Can't I just die already? A furry thing jumps into my room from the open window.

"Hey cat," I greet Kitty as he settles on top of my head and purrs lovingly. "Don't poop or pee on my head ok?"

Oddly enough, his presence calms me down significantly, and I begin to drift in and out of consciousness feeling hot then suddenly cold. That stupid monkey has invited some friends, and they are now pounding my skull with sledgehammers. And I feel like I've run a marathon or done some serious workout.

The sound of my phone beeping in one of my conscious moments startles me fully awake. I jump out of bed, and Kitty protests by hissing at me, but I ignore him. It's Camden! Oh, he's not mad at me! However when I look at the message it's an unregistered number.

_'Room 204. Hotel Paradise. Come see me if you want to resolve this. –K.A.'_

How did this bitch get my number? But more importantly, what does she want? Looking out the now shut window (who shut it, I don't know), I realize it's night time. Nuh-huh. This bitch is crazy if she thinks I'm just going to go meet her at some hotel room. What if she kills me? What if she rapes me? Oh crap. I'm delirious. I'm losing my marbles. I delete the message and decide to ignore her; that is until I hear him head out.

"Can I borrow your car?" I hear him call from across my room.

"What's the magic word?" Laura calls back with a hint of bitterness in her voice. Oh, I should have never said anything. Now Laura can't stand Derek. I ruin friendships and sibling relationships.

"Please?"

"Actually it's 'I'm a dumbass,' or '_Accio_ keys' would have worked too." I resist the urge to giggle at Laura's awesome nerdiness. "Here." She tosses a set of keys anyway.

"Thanks." Derek mumbles as he walks to the stairs, down, and out.

He's going to see her; I just know it. And I can bet all the money in the fucking jar that room 204 is their rezendvous. Knowing I will regret this, I put on my shoes and race out of my room. I hear people shout my name, but I ignore them. Unfortunately, my bike is still in Derek's trunk, and that car is at the auto repair. Just my luck, I will have to walk or run. I decide to walk as my muscles feel sort of stiff. It takes me like thirty minutes to finally get to the hotel then climb up the damn stairs and stand outside room 204. Taking a deep breath and ignoring my mind screaming at me to run, I shove the door open.

Tears burn in my eyes and my heart beats ever so slowly as I take in the sight in front of me. Why? Why must my heart get broken over and over again? I have been good, haven't I? I'm not too religious, but I try not to sin, and I doubt God cares that I curse as long as I don't kill anybody. So what exactly have I done to deserve all this pain?

It is then that I regret not listening to mind when it told me to run. I regret coming here. I regret ever falling in love. I regret ever meeting Derek Hale.


	15. Burning

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf**

**I switch to third person point of view because there are lots of things to cover in this chapter, and I think writing it in third will be less annoying. And thank you oh so much for the reviews! Y'all made me laugh and smile (: P.s. More banners made by Emma (**MidnightWolf358**) for all the other stories! Go see them! They are so cool! :)**

Chapter 14: Burning

Pain. Pain is all Sky has ever known since meeting Derek Hale. She does love him. God knows she loves him more than she ever thought possible; she loves him more than a young girl like her should love. But that love cannot save her from the sight in front of her. Her beloved is in a hotel room with a woman Sky hates more than she hates mathematics. The woman turns to face Sky with an evil and satisfied smirk on her lips as she keeps moving her hips up and down on top of the guy Sky loves. The guy she loves can only stare at her with wide eyes as he wonders how it is possible that she found out where he'd be. He then wonders what the hell he is doing; did he not promise himself to finally break things off with Kate? Unable to handle the pain anymore, Sky turns around and runs as fast as her aching muscles can take her as the tears finally roll down her cheeks.

Derek growls at Kate to stop her movements which she ignored until Sky took off. In one swift movement, Derek is out of the bed putting his underwear and jeans on. Without a word or glance in Kate's direction, he takes off after Sky.

"Sky!" Derek shouts as the young girl runs into the darkness without sparing a glance back.

Rationalizing that if he jumps on his car, he can catch Sky faster, Derek returns to the hotel room for the rest of his clothes and keys. Back in the hotel room, he finds Kate lying in bed smirking very happily. She had sent a text message to the young girl earlier; she wanted to have one last fun with the poor girl before setting her plan into motion.

"Did you tell her where to find us?" Derek asks as he puts his shirt on followed by his shoes. He approaches the table next to the bed and grabs the car keys.

"No," Kate giggles like a young school girl unable to hide her amusement. "You know what a little fucking stalker that bitch is." Kate sneers referring to Sky.

Anger courses through Derek at hearing Kate refer to his beloved Sky like that. He had already warned Kate to watch how she addresses Sky or anyone in his family for that matter. Unable to hold back, Derek grabs Kate's chin tightly between his right middle finger and thumb. Getting in her personal space, Derek growls the next words.

"Do not talk about her like that!" He knows he is wasting time dealing with the woman, but he has to leave one thing clear, they are through.

Tonight, Derek had arrived at the hotel room for the second time today with the intention of cutting all ties with Kate. Once again, that had not happened until now. As always, Kate knew how to work the young man, and she made sure to distract him whenever Derek tried to speak. Soon enough though, the young man became lost in the ecstasy that Kate brings to him with her body. Kate narrows her eyes at Derek feeling oddly jealous that he is always defending the little bitch. In a twisted turn of fate, Kate developed feelings for her enemy which she made the mistake of sharing with her father: a man with no tolerance for weakening feelings especially if they are aimed at the beasts. However, Kate's duty comes before her feelings, and she will do what her father has commanded.

"Don't touch me you mutt!" Kate snaps back venomously. Derek disgusted with her, and himself, shoves her away and makes his way out of the room. "Where are you going?" Kate asks but the door slams before Derek responds not like he was going to anyway.

Climbing on the white mustang convertible, Derek sets to roam the streets in search for Sky while the fear of her being caught by the hunters or a loose werewolf twists his stomach in unnatural ways. Meanwhile, cutting through the woods, the sobs shake Sky's body, and she trips over her own feet several times. As she lies briefly on the cold and dark ground, she considers giving up and laying there to die because surely she cannot live with a heart that has been broken and mangled so many times. Her stomach heaves as she vomits what she hasn't eaten yet. Clutching her stomach and sobbing, Sky enters the Hale house with tears streaming down her face.

"Sky?" Peter Hale calls out from the den where he was working up until he heard Sky crying.

He muses what has made his little girl cry this time and concludes that it all comes down to his nephew: Derek. Because of Derek, Sky had been doing a lot of crying recently. Peter wonders how he is not used to it, and the answer is simple: he will never get used to hearing his little girl cry. When Peter receives no response from Sky but more sobs and the erratic beating of her heart, he rises from his seat and heads to the foyer with hurried steps.

"Jesus!" He shouts upon seeing Sky doubled over by the stairs holding her stomach and crying.

Sky wants to joke and say she is not the Messiah, but she can't. There's nothing inside of her anymore. There's nothing left of the Sky she used to be. The old Sky has finally left the building leaving behind a sick and pathetic child who can do nothing more than to run to her uncle's arms and cry.

"Baby girl what's wrong?" Peter grabs her face between his hands. "You're burning up! You don't feel well, do you?"

It is a relief of some sort to know Sky's tears do not involve Derek, and her feelings for him. Of course Peter knows exactly how his baby girl feels for his nephew. If anything, Peter is observant, and he listens. He listens carefully to what the night has to say. A sickness, Peter thinks, that is all there is to it. Sky is crying because she feels terrible. Well, this he can handle, and he will. As Sky seems unable to respond, Peter takes that as a sign that in fact Sky does not feel well, so he picks his little girl up in his arms bridal style.

Sky says nothing as Peter carries her up to her room as she is unable to speak. She can only sob the loss of her old self and any measly hope she had of Derek ever loving her because now she is no longer sure she wants him to love her, not after what she saw. Suddenly, all she feels is a deep anger for the way Derek has betrayed and broken her heart. Derek didn't have to love Sky like she loves him, but couldn't he at least have some sort of compassion for her? Granted, he did try by hiding the identity of his whore, but Sky knows that Derek hid Kate from everyone for his own selfish reasons. Knowing that the family will condemn him and the Argents will die once this blows up, Derek decided to keep his affair a secret not once did Sky enter his mind, or so Sky believes. As Peter sets the girl gently on the bed, Sky grabs his arm just as he is about to turn away. Perhaps it is time for the family to know. What does Sky care if Derek hurts over the most certain death of the whore? Why should Sky have any consideration for Derek or Kate when they clearly have had none?

"Uncle Peter," Sky whispers weakly through the sobs that still shake her. "I-I… I want some aspirins."

"Of course baby girl," Peter smiles and leans forward to kiss Sky's burning forehead. "I will be back."

Peter shuts the door quietly when he leaves, and Sky smacks her forehead loudly with her right palm. Honestly, Sky feels she doesn't have as much courage as she always claims because she can't even utter a word about Derek's affair with an Argent. On the other hand, despite all the grief Derek has caused Sky by being involved with Kate Argent, Sky cannot bring herself to be spiteful. She loves Derek deeply, and if his happiness is with someone else, who is she to destroy his relationship? Soon though, Sky would regret her cowardice and strong feelings for Derek. Without the knowledge of anyone in the Hale house, four men are under their house sealing the tunnels shut and not making a single sound about it.

Peter tucks Sky in real well. She has not stopped sobbing, and that worries Peter as much as the escalating fever. Pursing his lips, Peter considers taking Sky to the doctor, but once he mentions hospital, Sky shakes her head fervently and promises she will get better. After one last kiss to her forehead, Peter decides to let his little girl rest. As he leaves her room, Derek bursts into the house looking as pale as Sky. Peter's nephew climbs up the steps in two long strides.

"Hey Derek," Peter greets the young man as they both stand outside Sky's room. "How was your date?" Peter asks innocently enough but wishes his nephew would finally fess up about his affair with the Argent woman. When and if Derek does, Peter knows the Hales could use the relationship to their advantage. _It is a matter of time_, Peter thinks.

"Where's Sky?" Derek asks instead of acknowledging and remembering what he has just done. In some ways, Derek is relieved Sky has not said anything about him and Kate, but sometimes, Derek wonders if it would be best if the whole family finds out about his betrayal and lifting the heavy burden off his shoulders for carrying such a heavy secret. That thought, Derek knows, is his cowardice speaking. He, too, would later regret it when the men finally seal the tunnel connected to the basement.

"She's in her room." Peter sighs worriedly and once again thinks that perhaps taking Sky to the hospital will be best. "She has a bit of fever. Don't wake her up!" He shakes his head as his nephew barges into Sky's room but leaves them be. Perhaps if Derek plays nurse for Sky, they can finally reach an understanding.

As soon as Derek barges in, he shuts the door quietly behind him. He finds Sky covered from head to toe trying and failing to pretend to be asleep. After so many years of living with Sky, Derek memorized the sound of Sky's heartbeat. When the guilt of his affair ate him up at night, and he couldn't find sleep, Derek closed his eyes and listened to her heartbeat which calmed and lulled him to sleep. In that moment, he could hear her heartbeat going a thousand miles per hour signifying she is awake and agitated. Besides the sound of her sniffing and hiccupping is a dead giveaway that Sky has not stopped sobbing. And she has not. Since Uncle Peter left her to rest, Sky could only let the tears soak the pillow as she replayed in her mind the image of Derek and Kate having sex. Not one second had Sky stopped lamenting the death of her heart.

"I know you are not sleeping," Derek says as he sits on the foot of Sky's bed and grabs her ankle. Sky goes very still and quiet fighting the urge to kick the werewolf until he stops breathing. "Sky, we need to talk."

"Get the fuck out of my room!" Sky screeches as she throws the covers away and sits up abruptly to murderously glare at Derek.

Derek grimaces, not because of the glare, but because he sees Sky is clearly sick. Her skin has lost all color and is clammy with sweat and on top of that, her eyes are puffy and red. Feeling his heart break at the sight of the happy, healthy and loving girl Sky once was gone, Derek wonders if it's possible that he caused this with his carelessness. The answer hits him almost immediately. Of course he is responsible. If he had talked to her, if he had told her they couldn't be together years ago, perhaps Sky could have moved on. But the thought of Sky with someone else, like that kid Josh or Camden, makes Derek's stomach hurt.

Somehow Derek had also fallen in love with Sky, but he kept convincing himself that she was much too young, and he was a monster that could hurt her, he hid his feelings. Recently though, he could see his excuses where only that excuses. Sky is not too young. The day he barged into her room to find her semi naked, he could see Sky had grown up, and he wondered how that had happened. When had his sweet and little Sky changed into a woman? The morning after Jesse received the bite, Derek woke up to Sky's teasing and found her on top of him her lips mere inches away. Time went still as he looked into her eyes and touched her lips with his thumb once again wondering how and when Sky had changed so much. Still, Derek pushed his feelings and thoughts deep inside. Derek still wanted Sky to find a normal boy, but when she did, Derek couldn't stomach the thought of any other guy claiming her. Besides, who will know Sky like he does? He knows her like the back of his hand. Derek knows how many times Sky slices her apple: five times because that's her favorite number. He knows her likes, dislikes, and pet peeves; he knows everything or so he thinks. But still he refuses to speak to her of his feelings, and by tomorrow, Derek will regret not confessing them to Sky tonight because an unknown and single phone call made under his house will split them apart.

"Are you ok?" Derek asks just to keep his mouth from blurting out the three words he knows Sky wants to hear. Of course his question is stupid, and he wishes to smack his forehead.

"Didn't you hear me?" Sky narrows her eyes at Derek as she feels the anger hit her like a tsunami. The image of Derek with Kate on top of him replays in Sky's mind as she grasps the bed sheets in her fists to keep from swinging at him. She ought to take a swing at him. She ought to make him feel a miniscule amount of pain she is feeling right now. "Get the fuck out of my room, you-you-man whore!"

The insult is nothing compared to all the things Sky wants to say or do to Derek. She lies back down on the bed and covers herself again praying that Derek leaves her to cry a little more as there are still many tears left inside Sky. But Derek is persistent. He can't stand the thought of Sky hurting because of him. They need to talk; Derek needs to tell Sky that his affair is done and over with even if it did take breaking Sky's heart. Getting up from his seat at the foot of the bed, Derek kneels next to her bed where Sky's head is hidden under the bed sheets.

"Sky, talk to me." He pleads hearing the desperation and grief in his voice hoping that Sky can hear it too.

"I hate you Derek Hale," Sky replies to him without much emotion as she doesn't truly mean the words. She cannot hate him because she loves him too much and for that she wishes to hate him all the more. Instead she ends up hating herself. She ends up hating her weakness and ability to love too deeply. If only one could be really made of stone. If only Medusa really existed, Sky would seek her out and beg her to turn her into stone, so she wouldn't feel a thing. "Leave before I tell Uncle Peter you were with that Argent slut."

But Derek no longer cares whether Sky tells anyone or not. Let the family find out. Let the werewolves go after Kate. He would tomorrow night wish Sky had really ratted him out, for after the phone call is placed, the plan is in motion. Her words sting and stab him. He feels an odd emotion in his chest that he cannot decipher. He has never felt this… emptiness before. Instead of trying to decipher the feeling, Derek persists on his quest of finding Sky's forgiveness. He places his hand on her shoulder, which turns out to be mistake as she leaps out of bed with the speed of a cat or better yet a werewolf. Once she's out of bed, Sky's eyes are burning furiously with what Derek thinks is hatred, but Sky knows is disgust.

"Don't touch me! Not after you have touched _her_! You disgust me Derek Hale." Sky sees how her words stab at his heart, but she doesn't care. She wants him to feel. She wants him to feel anything since he has never felt anything at all for her, so her next words are spat out with as much venom as she can muster. "I. Hate. You."

With those three words she regrets saying immediately, Sky runs out of the room before she takes them back. Derek lets her leave knowing she will seek solace in Laura, but for once in her life, Sky does not seek out Laura. Tonight, Sky is a little girl aching for the arms of a mother or a father, but she has neither and that thought makes her sob harder. Life has been cruel to Sky in so many ways, and the cruelty will not stop there because as she rushes to her uncle's room, a woman sets up a meeting with three arsonists and hands them the blue prints to the Hale house.

Knocking timidly on Peter's door, Sky waits for her uncle to open. Once he does, she throws her arms around him. Surprised to find Sky in his room, because she has not done it since she was five, Peter stands awkwardly on the doorway. He quickly recovers though and wraps his arms around his little girl. Pulling her inside, Peter shuts the door. Both of them take a seat on the king sized bed while Peter rubs Sky's back and murmurs everything will be ok. After Sky has calmed down significantly and pulls the covers of Peter's bed tighter around her, she realizes Peter has a suite case packed with clothes.

"Are you going away?" Sky's lips tremble as she considers Peter leaving her when she needs him most.

"Yes," Peter nods sadly as he pushes Sky's hair out of her face. "I leave tomorrow night. I'll only be gone less than a week though."

The thought of dealing with Derek alone for almost a week brings more tears to Sky. Sure she knows she is not truly alone. The Hales will be there to back her up and hold her, but she once again reminds herself she's not truly a Hale only by last name. Derek, on the other hand, has Hale blood, and the family should support him not her. Peter is the only one Sky feels belongs to her. She has known him since she was three. Briefly, Sky considers asking Peter to take her with him wherever he is going because she can't face Derek. In fact she can't be near him; she keeps replaying the image of Derek with another woman. Even though Sky knows she still loves him and probably always will, she can't be near him right now because the betrayal hurts deeply, and it won't go away anytime soon. But she knows the escape will only be temporary because after the one week is up, Sky and Peter will return home where the betrayal lives. The only option Sky sees is to leave for a long period of time perhaps permanently.

"I will do it," Sky whispers as Uncle Peter keeps stroking her hair.

"You will do what?" Peter asks concerned as he wonders if maybe Sky is delirious due to her fever which has not decreased.

"I will go to Ecole Normale de Musique," she swallows loudly and closes her eyes briefly as the weight of her decision hits her. Going to France means no more Laura, Andre, Sophie, Chase, the twins, Uncle Adam… No more Hales. No more Derek.

Peter frowns and strokes Sky's forehead with his right thumb. This is what he always wanted: to send Sky away where Dante can't find her because Peter is no fool. On a whim, Peter had decided to pick up Sky from Dr. Deaton's and take her out to dinner, and that was the day he saw Dante speaking to Sky under a tree. For a moment Peter considered ripping Dante apart, but if he did that Sky would ask questions; questions that Peter could not and should not answer because of the promise he made Emily. Instead, Peter let it go, not without much effort on his part. Revenge, Peter knows, has to be carefully planned. Now he has a chance to make Dante suffer for using and leaving both Emily and Sky so long ago because if Sky leaves, Dante will suffer not knowing where his daughter is. However the thought of not seeing Sky, Peter's daughter for all instances and purposes, makes Peter upset. He cannot part with his little girl. Revenge could be accomplished some other way like finally getting Adam to go after all the hunters.

"I thought you wanted to speak French fluently," Peter uses the excuse Sky has used for years in the hope that perhaps it will delay her sudden decision to leave at least until he figures out why she wants to leave in the first place and perhaps fix it.

"Je parle le français parfaitement," Sky gives him a weak smile. "J'ai menti. Je suis désolée."

"Well," Peter sighs and rubs the back of his neck. There are no other excuses to keep her in Beacon Hills except that he will miss her, but they both know he could visit or she could visit. "Why do you want to go now?" At least he wants to know what is making Sky suddenly wish to leave town. Maybe there is a way to fix it.

But that is the question Sky wanted to avoid. There is no easy explanation to what is happening, and it's not like she wants to tell Peter. It's not to say Sky doesn't trust Peter because she does; she trusts him with her life. She trusts him to always keep her safe and love her despite her flaws, mistakes and weaknesses. But the last thing she wants is for Peter to fix things or attempt to anyway. Leaving is the best choice. It's a clean break for both parties. Sky can leave tomorrow with Peter pretending to accompany her uncle in his business trip, but she will not come back.

"I just think it's time," Sky sniffs and tries to come up with a solid excuse, so she uses Aunt Grace's. "I want to reach my potential, you know? Be a famous pianist someday." She tries not to grimace at her last words because what she really wants to be is a veterinarian like Dr. Deaton.

Peter sighs once again and goes deep into thought. After a couple of minutes he nods. "I want you to be happy baby girl. I want you to do what you want, and I won't hold you back. When I come back…"

"No!" Sky shouts with force and that makes the monkeys inside her head hammer furiously. "I want to leave tomorrow too. I want to go with you and then take a plane to Paris. And please don't tell anyone. I hate saying goodbye."

Peter ponders Sky's words and frowns. Why would Sky avoid the family? This is isn't like her. Maybe there's something else going, and Peter must find out. But he will do so once Sky is away, so he can pry Dante because Peter has a feeling it may have something to do with him.

"All right baby girl," he kisses her forehead. "Get some sleep. I'm going to see if I can get you the plane tickets and get in contact with the school's headmistress." One last time, Peter kisses Sky's forehead, gets up with his cellphone in hand, and heads out leaving Sky to grieve a little. After a couple of more minutes of crying, exhaustion takes Sky under into a troubled sleep.

_She is laughing and running through a white and red carnation field. Suddenly Sky stops as she gets the feeling of déjà vu; she has been here before. Not in real life but in another dream. She doesn't know when or exactly what happened in that distant dream. Ahead, she can see Derek running or rather chasing something. He throws himself at the ground and catches an orange ball of fur. Laughing, he turns to Sky. _

"_Come on Sky!" Derek shouts as Kitty once again leaps out of Derek's arms and runs. _

_But there's something wrong. Sky can feel something terrible is about to happen. Just as Derek takes a couple more steps away from Sky, fire appears out of nowhere ahead of her keeping her away from Derek and burning the beautiful carnations. He screams her name. She screams his. Then there are more voices coming from every direction. Sky turns on the same spot seeking a way out, but she is in the middle of a ring of fire. The voices keep screaming at her to help them. Derek screams at her to not leave him. She's not leaving them! Never. Then a man jumps through the flames wearing a mask. Sky shrieks and tries to get as far away as possible but there's nowhere to go. The man stretches his hands out to Sky, but she will not go with him. She has to stay with the voices. She will die with Derek. She wants to die with the Hales, so she runs through the flames to join them. The flames consume her. Burning. She is burning. _

Sky sits up in bed drenched in sweat and coughing as if she truly has been breathing smoke and feeling the heat of the flames. In fact, it feels like she still is in flames. Looking down at herself, she realizes she's not burning. She is awake and in her own dark room. Uncle Peter took her to her own bed when he returned from making some phone calls. He took her to her own bed because he was about to stay up all night taking care of his business so that he can go with Sky to Paris tomorrow.

As Sky wipes her forehead with the back of her left hand, she feels her fever has not decreased at all. The clock on her bed side table reads 4:05 am.

"I am delirious because of the fever," Sky nods and drinks thirstily from the glass next to her bed. "Yeah. I'm sick, that's all." She explains to herself the nightmare that makes her body quiver with terror because it all felt too real. The flames. The pain. The desperation and grief. The loss.

Setting the glass on the table, Sky's eyes rest on the photo frame illuminated by the moon light. Carefully, she picks it up and pulls it closer to her. She runs her fingertips over the smiling faces of the strangers as a single tear falls on the glass. They are strangers. The happy Derek and Sky on the picture no longer exist. Through the tears, Sky lets out a small demented laugh. How funny is it that in just a couple of weeks Derek and Sky drifted apart? In the photo, Derek has his arms around a smiling, glowing and covered in cake Sky who also has her arms wrapped around his torso. Both of them have brilliant smiles as they face the camera. Turning the picture over, Sky pulls out the photo and holds it close to her chest as she lies back down on the bed.

"It's like an ocean is between us," Sky speaks to the darkness wishing she could speak to Derek. "By tomorrow though, there will truly be an ocean between us. What happened to us Dee? Is it that we grew up? Is it because I love you more than I should? Is a love this intense forbidden?" The tears flow freely into the pillow as Sky caresses the photo. "I'm sorry." She says as sleep overtakes her once again. Even though she doesn't know why she's apologizing, Sky repeats the words over and over until she goes unconscious.

…

4 a.m. Three hooded figures move swiftly through the dark forest until a grand house comes into view. Hiding behind a couple of thick trees, the three figures lay down the blue prints of the house in front of them and with a flash light, they go over it. The house has two living rooms one on each side but the living room to the left, has a door on the far corner that leads to the basement. Facing the house, the kitchen is to the right and next to it, is a studio and a library. The kitchen is the individuals' goal. The upper part of the house does not matter because if everything goes according to plan, the residents of the house will run to the basement. Rolling up the blue prints, the three hooded figures round the house checking out the perimeter and locating the window that belongs to the kitchen. All the lights are out so the hooded figures cannot see anything.

"Shit!" One of them half-shouts, half-whispers.

"Shut up!" Another hisses quietly.

"Fucking root!" The first individual hisses back.

"We should do it now," the third person says glancing around nervously. "I can't be caught breaking parole!"

"We have orders to wait until tomorrow!" The second individual, clearly the one in charge, hisses angrily.

"Then what are we doing here?" First speaker practically whines.

"We are making sure we know where everything is and what we will be doing, imbecile." The leader looks up at the house. "There can't be any mistakes. All of them will be inside at the time she gave us."

"It's dangerous to do it during the day," the third man snaps as he shakes his head. "At night we can't be recognized."

"No one will be alive to see us anyway," the leader sighs exasperated as they all make their way to hide under some tunnels near the property. "Which is why we are here checking out the place now both of you shut your traps."

The three hooded figures settle down by an underground barred entrance covered in leaves. Someone pulls out a pack of cigarettes, and they begin to smoke. The three of them are quiet as they go over the plan in their minds. One of them will be look out while the other two drill a whole into the kitchen wall placing three crystals of potassium permanganate inside it. Five drops of glycerin and water will start the reaction. It will take a couple of minutes before the whole house catches fire, but that's the point to have enough time to run. The group leader smiles to himself as he drags on the cigarette and waits. He waits.

…

He turns on the coffee maker and yawns hugely as he sets the coffee to brew. While the coffee is getting ready, Dante looks out the window at the neighborhood. The house is silent as it always is, for only Kate, a couple of guys, and him leave in the Argent's home. If Dante was in his house, there would be no silence. He can bet everything he owns that even today, there's no peace with a ten year old running around. The smile leaves his lips as he thinks of little Scott and remembers that his house is not his house anymore. It hasn't been for a while. Seven months after the death of Emily, Melissa found out of his infidelity. She kicked him out, and he has been staying with the Argents since then. Of course he tried to fix things with Melissa, but she wouldn't have any of it. How she found about Emily is still a mystery to Dante. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that he gave up. He gave up too soon and left with Gerard and his family. After a while, Dante drifted back to Beacon Hills as the longing of seeing both of his children became unbearable. Melissa is much tougher about letting Scott run around alone unlike Dante's other child, Sky who rides her bike anywhere and everywhere. Both of her children are so different or so Dante has observed. Scott is much quieter as he seems to only be friends with another introvert child, Stiles. Dante chuckles as he thinks of the boy's name. Stiles. What kind of name is that?

On the other hand, Sky is free spirited with plenty of friends most of them boys. Her willingness to run around everywhere has helped him get close enough to her while it also worries him that there's no real parental figure in her life, in either of his children's lives. If only there was a way to get to Scott as well without Melissa finding out, but she always does. Even if Dante does not speak to Scott and merely observes him from a distance, Melissa has her ways of finding out. She always threatens him to call the police and as Dante, in order to appease Melissa and by his own stupidity, granted Melissa full custody of Scott. There is no way for Dante to have a claim on either of his children. How stupid, Dante always thinks, to have made the mistake of giving up both of his children. The faraway visitations of Scott and the 'coincidental' conversations with Sky are the only interaction Dante can ever have with his children. Fisting his hands and slamming them against the tiled counter, Dante curses Gerard, who promised him Sky years ago and never delivered, and Peter, who took his child fully and completely.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Kate murmurs with a smile as she drums her fingers against the kitchen island. "Though I must admit, you look really hot when you're angry and thoughtful." She bites her lower lip.

Dante ignores Kate as he pours himself some coffee. By now, he is used to Kate's shameless flirting. Even though Dante could be her father or uncle, Kate has always made known her interest in him. Never has Dante given her any indication that he wants anything with her because he loves Melissa. Period. Kate never seems to understand though. For a couple of months though, she did give up and seemed to be absorbed in some task Gerard left her. Dante never offered to help her because that would imply they needed to work together and that was the last thing he wanted. However, today seems different Dante realizes as he sits across from her and sips on his coffee.

Kate keeps glancing at the timer on the oven and drumming her fingers furiously against the counter. Her right leg bounces up and down and although she tries to hide it with teasing, Dante can tell there's something bothering her. His paternal instincts kick in.

"And someone woke up nervous," he comments as he takes another sip of the hot liquid. "What's wrong with you?"

"Why would you think something is wrong?" She gives him a sly smile. "Maybe something is _right_ or about to be right." She says cryptically as she glances at the time on her phone.

Dante shrugs it off and looks out the window. "Your brother is coming."

"What?" Kate says alarmed but quickly calms herself down. "How did I not know about this?"

Dante shrugs again. He hasn't been much involved in hunter's matters for a while opting to watch his children, so he is out of the loop. In fact, Dante didn't even know about the young boy Kate shot a while ago until the next day when the news of Jesse Hale's murder appeared on the news. Chris and Dante had been upset because of Kate's indiscretion. Well, Chris was angry for her indiscretion; Dante was angry because the death of the young boy caused Sky's so much pain besides the boy was so young. Perhaps they could have put him under probation or something, but Kate had acted out on her own accord. So hearing about Chris's visit had been a stroke of luck because Chris had called Kate's cellphone which she had left at home that night.

Kate turns quiet and pensive as she thinks of how her brother's visit could harm her operation. Well, there would be no harm because surely her minions are doing their job right now. What Kate is anxiously waiting for is the call from a public phone letting her know the deed is done. As if conjuring up the call in her mind, her cellphone rings. Kate lets it ring as to not raise suspicion. She even goes as far as to frown at the incredibly long number.

"Hello?" Kate answers innocently.

"Done." The man says and hangs up.

"Hello?" Kate shouts into the phone as she keeps going with her acting. When she thinks it's been enough, she hangs up and shrugs at Dante.

Dante's cellphone rings then. He pulls it out and sees it's from the fire department where he works during the day. As soon as he picks it up, his friend, John, informs him of a fire at the Hale house. Dante spits his coffee and feels the floor fall from under him. John is one of the very few people that know of Sky's relation to Dante. Before John even finishes the news, Dante is already out of his seat grabbing an unknown set of keys and rushing out of the house.

"Woah! Where's the fire?" Kate cackles.

Dante freezes with his hand on the door handle as he wonders if Kate had anything to do with this fire. He turns around and rushes back to the kitchen and grabs her by the arms roughly. "Did you do this?"

"Do what?" Kate asks too innocently while a knowing glint shines in her eyes. And Dante doesn't need to hear any more.

He runs out of the kitchen promising to deal with Kate later. On his way out, he pulls out his firefighter suit from the closet and unlocks the doors to Kate's car which Dante inadvertently grabbed the keys to. Like a demon possessed, Dante races to the Hale house all the while praying that Sky is alive.

…

"Where are we going?" Derek asks as Laura doesn't turn on the street to take them home.

"Uncle Peter asked me for some medicine for Sky," Laura says as she parks at the pharmacy. "I won't take long."

Derek nods and lets her go inside while he waits in the car. As he waits, he looks out the window and sighs while running his hands through his hair. After the fight with Sky, Derek had retired to his room where he stared at the wall for hours just replying his life trying to find the event or moment when Sky and his relationship started to burn and crumble. How did they go from best friends to cousins to almost lovers to nothing at all? The answer was right in front of Derek, but in that moment of self-pity, he refused to see it.

That morning, Derek woke up to the eerie silence of the house. It was like everyone was dead, so he went through his routine of getting dressed and ready for yet another day of exams. On the hallway, Derek paused right outside Sky's room. Knowing she'd be asleep, he gathered enough courage to at least poke his head in. Kitty had hissed at him angrily as Derek approached Sky's bed. Ignoring the mean cat, Derek kneeled next to Sky's bed. Her delicate eyebrows almost met in the middle like she was imitating his frown. She kept mumbling incoherently.

"I'm sorry," she had mumbled. "Fire. Burning. I'm sorry. Please."

With a frown of his own, Derek had touched her forehead and felt her burning up. His heart constricted as he touched her clammy face with the back or his right hand. Never again would he be allowed to touch her or even look at her, that he knew. Only if she was unconscious could he probably steal some moments with her. Even though she is sick, Derek could have stayed there and watched her all day long, but Peter had kicked him out saying she needed to rest, and he needed to go to school. With a sigh, Derek leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

As his lips touched her skin, Derek made a promise that he would never break again, he promised to make Sky happy. He swore he would make her happy no matter how long it took him to first make things right with her. Even as he waits for Laura, he is already thinking of ways he can make it up to her. Laura comes out then with a bag. She doesn't say anything as she buckles up and begins to pull out of the parking lot. A car drives by incredibly fast and thankfully because of Laura's fast reflexes, she is able to stomp on the break before the car crashes into Hermione's tail not only damaging her car but possibly making her and Derek do the loops.

"Mother…" Laura mumbles as she breathes heavily and glares at the car which already disappeared. "What gives?"

"Lunatics," Derek shakes his head.

Laura nods and once again sets out to return home where Laura will check on Sky, crash with her cousin, and then study later. On the other hand, Derek will cook something for Sky. Their plans quickly go out the window when, as they get near their house, they see the firefighters turn onto their driveway. Panic made the world blurry and move in slow motion.

…

The smoke alarms went off at around noon startling Adam Hale awake. When he stays home to work, he never sleeps this late. Fate had it that he would choose today of all days to sleep in. He jumps out of bed and races out calling everyone's names. Once they all gather at the top of the stairs, they can see the foyer on flames; red and orange coming from the kitchen quickly spreading to the roof. Snapping back into motion, Adam commands everyone to go down to the basement and leave through the tunnels. Julie holds Dylan while Sarah holds Tyler, both babies are under panic already screeching and coughing at the same time. Chase holds his sister's and mother's hands as they rush down the stairs.

"Sky!" Andre shouts as Adam shoves his nephew through what the Hales calls the 'family room.'

"Peter…" Adam turns to look for his brother who had been here just a while ago but now is gone. "He will get her. Go!"

Upstairs, Peter brings down Sky's door as he screeches fire, unsure of why. He picks up Sky trying to cover her face with his chest, so she doesn't choke with the smoke. Sky still under the influence of her illness cannot really understand what's going on. She does feel even hotter than before, but her subconscious quickly dismisses it as the fever. However, when Peter gets to the top of the stairs, the entire foyer is covered in smoke. It is then that Sky realizes there's something wrong. Things go from scary to full out panic when a beam comes crashing down on Peter throwing him and Sky to the ground. The thud of her fall and the screams from the basement startles Sky fully awake. She rushes to Peter's side as she coughs.

"Uncle Peter!" Sky screams letting the smoke into her lungs. She coughs violently as she begs her uncle to wake up. The entrance is now covered in flames; the ceiling is falling down as the flames travel across it all the way to the family room. Looking around for an exit, Sky realizes there's none and wishes Derek was there with her. He promised didn't he? He promised he wouldn't hurt her. He promised nothing would happen to her. So many promises. Even then as Sky lets the blackness overtake her, she still loves him. She falls next to her uncle knowing she will die. The world goes black knowing she and her family is burning.

Adam cannot believe his eyes. The tunnel under the basement has crumbled. How that happened is beyond his understanding. Maybe is the smoke, maybe is the panic, maybe is the knowledge that he failed to protect his pack, but Adam cannot think straight. His family turns to him with pleading eyes to save them. He begins shoving everyone up the steps but the roof collapses then blocking the door to the family room with wood and fire. He retreats once again and resorts to trying to dig his way into the tunnel. His family and pack begin to shout for help as the twins keep crying. Andre and Chase join him digging through the dirt but all to no avail. The oxygen is thinning. Their lungs burn. The fire is spreading. They are burning. They are dying.

…

Dante arrives before the firefighters. He puts on his suit and helmet. Without much regard to his safety and driven by the sole thought of saving his daughter, Dante brings down the door to the Hale house and runs through the flames. Turning the lamp on his helmet on, Dante finds two bodies by the stairs. He kneels down on the smaller figure and realizes it's his daughter. Next to her is the man who took her from Dante and failed to protect her. Not wasting any more time, Dante pulls Sky in his arms and carries her out shielding her with a rough blanket he found on the back of Kate's car. Once outside, he checks Sky to make sure there's a pulse and there is. He looks back at the Hale house in flames and wonders whether he should go back. He can't; he has to get his daughter medical attention, but if he doesn't attempt to save the only family Sky ever had, she will never forgive him. Just as he turns around to go back into the house, Dante hears the wailing of the fire fighters' siren. Once he sees the truck come into view followed by several police cars and ambulances, Dante shuts the back door where Sky is, rushes to the driver's side, and he drives through the tough terrain of the woods. Anxious, Dante keeps glancing at the rear view mirror and at his daughter. He prays silently that she survives. Once the road finally evens out, Dante pulls out his cellphone and dials the she devil.

"Hello?" She answers all too pleasantly.

"How dare you?" Dante shouts angrily and venomously.

"Derek…" he hears Sky mutter then fall silent again.

"How dare I what?" Kate snickers.

"My daughter was in there!" Dante growls as angry tears fall down his cheeks.

"Was?" Kate asks much too interested on the fate of his daughter.

"Yes," In a split second, Dante makes the decision to kill Sky Hale because he finally realizes Kate is dangerous. He realizes she wanted the Hales dead. "Now she's ashes. You bitch. I will kill you. I will make you pay."

"Oh please," Kate snorts. "I thought you wanted the Hales out of the way?"

"My daughter!" Is all Dante is able to say through his gritted teeth.

"She was a Hale," the woman sighs. "Look I did her a favor. She was probably going to get bitten. I did you a favor too. One day you'll…"

Dante hangs up unable to listen to the woman anymore. Taking a deep breath, Dante sets his own plan into motion. A plan that will keep his daughter safe. He dials Charles Deaton's number. Dante had confessed to Dr. Deaton the relationship between him and Sky. Charles had been angry at Dante for keeping the secret, but Charles didn't understand the situation. He never would. Despite their differences, Dante knows Charles cares for Sky and will want her safe. The veterinarian picks up on the third ring.

"Dr. Deaton," he says professionally.

"Have you heard?" Dante asks trying to keep himself in control as he remembers the panic of seeing the house on fire and considering the possibility of Sky being dead. In that moment, Dante knew that if he was too late to save Sky, he would want to die as well. If he couldn't keep one of his children alive, then there would be no point in him living. Tears threaten to choke him as he waits for Dr. Deaton's reply. When Dr. Deaton doesn't say anything, Dante assumes the man doesn't know. "The Hale house burned or is burning. I don't know if they have managed to put it out."

"Sky," Charles whispers as if the air has been knocked out of him.

"She's alive," Dante reassures him and glances over his shoulder at the sleeping form of his daughter. "I need you to meet me at the hospital in Palm Springs. I have a plan to stop Kate…"

"Kate?" Charles interrupts confused though Dante can hear the roar of an engine on the other side.

"I will explain." Is all Dante says.

"What happened to the others?" Charles asks.

"I couldn't save them," Dante sighs and excuses himself pitifully. "I don't know if the firefighters managed to save them. I will call John." He pauses. "You have to understand, I have to save her…"

"I know," Charles sighs. "I understand. Let's hope the Hales survived."

They disconnect after that, and Dante calls his friend John. There's no answer. Glancing again at Sky, Dante sighs relieved that she's ok or she will be. He returns to praying for the lives of the Hales for Sky's sake.

…

Camden Lahey has never been much of a hero. When Sean gets into fights, Camden lets him deal with it on his own. Some may call Camden a coward and others call him a terrible friend. Camden likes to think he just knows how to pick his fights. Some fights are lost even before they begin and others, well, one stands a higher chance. As he watches the Hale house burn though, Camden wants nothing more than to run inside and save her, save everyone, even though this 'fight' is already lost. The whole place is burning. The police have set up a perimeter, and they are adamant at keeping the onlookers far from harm. The firefighters struggle to extinguish the fire while a couple of them are already inside searching for survivors. Body after body is pulled out completely charred and unrecognizable. The wail of Laura Hale snaps Camden's eyes away from the sight and his musings of whether one of those bodies belongs to Sky. He sees Laura on her knees sobbing and wailing a couple of feet away from Camden. Next to Laura is Derek, who is gazing at the house completely lost in his own head.

This is not what Camden expected to see when he decided to pay Sky a visit to make sure she was ok. After he got back from the hospital where his bloody lip was taken care of, Camden saw a text message from Sky. He had texted her back saying he was ok and would see her today. She never texted him back, so Camden ventured out to the Hale house after their exam ended at around noon. He had been walking for quite a while lost in his thoughts of Sky and how amazing it had been to kiss her. Not once did he consider Derek. Camden knows Derek is possessive, but Camden hoped that his friend would come around and accept his relationship with Sky. The wailing of the fire fighters' siren had snapped Camden out of his thoughts. When he saw the red truck turn into the Hale driveway, Camden panicked and began to run cutting through the woods. And now, he is witnessing this. The death of an entire family. The death of the only girl he had ever been truly interested in.

An EMT approaches Derek and leads him to an ambulance after informing him that there's a man that needs to be recognized. Derek feels numb as he walks to the ambulance following the EMT. The tragedy has not sunk in yet as Derek still hopes that someone has survived. Anyone. Camden, upon hearing the possibility of a survivor, wades through the crowd towards the ambulance hoping and praying Sky is alive.

"That's my Uncle Peter," Derek says upon looking at the man with half his face burned and the other covered in blood from a wound on his nape. "Did you check upstairs? A, huh, cousin was up there." He continues his voice sounding numb just like he feels.

"We checked the entire house," the EMT shakes his head sadly. "We did not find anyone upstairs. Sorry son, maybe she was with the others."

"The others?" Derek's heart sinks to the center of the earth as he considers what 'others' could possibly mean.

"I'm sorry to tell you this son, but this man is the only survivor."

The words of the EMT penetrate through Camden, but he is unable to comprehend for a couple of seconds. After hearing those words, Derek takes off into the woods feeling his heart break and an abyss of despair, guilt and pain form in his chest. She's gone. They are all gone. All of them gone. Some of them turned into ashes others burned beyond recognition. Derek sinks to the ground as soon as he leaves the crowd behind. Camden follows his friend all the while feeling hollow inside himself.

A couple of feet into the woods, Camden finds Derek on his knees.

"No!" Derek shouts up at the heavens. "Sky!" He screams until his voice gives out and even then the pain is still chocking him.

The sorrow makes Derek collapse on the ground face down. Feeling for Derek, Camden sits next to his friend and places his hand on Derek's shoulder. Camden's hand makes Derek stiffen and slowly look up.

"What are you doing here?" Derek asks not bothering to hide the tears that are now falling down his cheeks.

At the moment, Derek doesn't care that Camden was probably coming to see Sky despite his warning to his ex-best friend. At this point, if Camden seeing and kissing Sky meant she was alive, Derek wouldn't mind them together. Derek does want to know though what Camden is doing trying to comfort him especially after the punch.

"I'm sorry man," Camden says giving Derek's shoulder a strong squeeze. "I really am." Camden's voice shakes with sadness.

Sitting up next to Camden, Derek nods his thanks. Both of them sit in silence and stare off into nothing as the loss of Sky and the entire family begins to sink in. Soon enough, both of the boys are crying silent tears.

"I love her," Derek confesses to Camden. "I love her, and I never told her." _I wish I had_, Derek laments as he gazes up at the sky. He wishes he could have done so many things. He wishes he had given the twins a kiss, he wishes he had played video games with Chase, he wishes he had asked Sophie to show him that photo of the baby again, he wishes he had told his dad he was the best dad in the world, he wishes… He wishes he had never met Kate Argent.

And then, Derek begins to sob loudly while Camden keeps his hand on his friend's shoulder trying to comfort him.

**Told ya lots of things going on! We're getting closer to the end :( Though I have been thinking of writing another Sky & Derek story, but I'm not sure. I don't want to bore y'all. Anyway, leave me some love! Oh and I still don't know if y'all want lemon or pure fluffiness for the **_SS _**epilogue (I can do both btw).**


	16. Loss

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf**

**Sorry for the late update; I've been sick all last week and this weekend went out with this really awesome guy ;D Anyway, lots of things to tell you guys: first of all, thanks for the reviews! I also got a bit emotional as I wrote the previous chapter :( Second, I got more lovely banners, which are on my profile, from Lycan Lover 411 and MidnightWolf358 (**Emma**) Thanks a bunch sweeties! I love them! :D Third, I have decided to expand this story a little bit more so now we have five chapters (including the two epilogues) left. Lastly, because y'all have given me permission to continue with another Derek/Sky story (thanks btw!), I have posted the summary plus a teaser story cover on my profile so check it out and tell me if y'all are still interested. And now, I'm shutting up. **

Chapter 15: Loss

_Sky_

The monkeys in my head finally got tired of partying in my head. But now my legs sting like… like that time I touched the stove by accident except this is a hundred times worst. Opening my eyes, the first thing I see is a heart monitor, an IV which without a doubt connected to me, and a bunch of other machines that belong to a hospital. Wait, why am I at the hospital? Slowly everything comes back to me: Derek and Kate, fighting with Derek, my fever, Uncle Peter… Fire! I sit up too fast making the world spin and my legs, shoulders, head, lungs, and throat to hurt. Everything is blurry for a couple of seconds until the world finally comes into focus. Movement to my left makes me turn my head. A man rushes to my bed and sits next to me.

"Dante," My voice is hoarse, and my throat hurts when I speak. "What happened… Fire? Uncle Peter…" _Derek._

"Calm down," he says when the heart monitor begins to go crazy. Well that makes two of us. "Calm down, sweetheart." He gently pushes me back down on the bed. I wince as his hands touch my shoulders which must have also gotten burned because they sting.

My chest begins to rise and fall rapidly as I consider what's going on. What is Dante doing here? Why is he even here? Where's my family? Are they hurt? Is that why there's no one with me? Why would they leave a stranger with me? Who is he really? So many questions that make my head throb as the monkey decides it's time for an encore, so he returns to pounding in my head like there's no freaking tomorrow making it impossible for me to sort through my thoughts. Did that really happen? Did the house really caught on fire? The motherfreaking painful stinging on my legs and shoulders tell me it did indeed. Oh God, please let them all be ok.

"Where's Derek? And Laura? I want to see them." I ask knowing for sure they weren't in the house or were they? I didn't hear them scream, but I can't be sure. My brain is filled with smoke and hazy details. All I remember is Uncle Peter carrying me out as he screamed fire. Then I remember hearing screams and then nothing. Everything went black until I woke up in the back of an SUV before once again going back under.

Dante avoids looking at me as his eyes dart everywhere. I frown at him as the nagging question keeps popping into my head: What is this man doing here? How did he get into my room and why does he smell like smoke? Come to think of it, he's wearing a firefighter suit which clearly indicates he has saved me. This man is just full of mysteries. This man is a total stranger no matter how many times we have seen each other. I still know nothing of him, and, at this particular moment, I'm freaking beginning to lose it.

"You can't see them again," he says softly after taking a deep sigh and meeting my eyes.

"Why?" My heart beats painfully against my chest as his words sink in. Derek was right! This man is a rapist! A kidnapper! He must see the fear in my eyes and that I'm about to scream my freaking head off because his eyes go wide in panic as he reaches out to me.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he says grabbing my hand which I quickly pull away and scramble as far away as I can in the bed. He swallows loudly and closes his eyes briefly as if what he's about to say is going to kill him or me. Oh God, he's going to tell me everyone is dead. "I'm your dad."

I did not see that coming. This man is insane. He is mental! I stare at him wide eyed and mouth agape as I process his words. Dante, if that's even his name, thinks I'm his daughter. Is this some sort of game? Is Derek pranking me? Did the fire really happen? I take a look around the sterile white room as if trying to spot Derek or the camera recording this sick and twisted joke. The fire didn't happen. It was all part of my sickness, then where's everyone? They are all hiding. Yes. They are hiding somewhere watching me crumble as this man plays with the memory of a father I never knew. This is sick and twisted.

"No you are not!" I shriek finally which is a mistake because my throat is burning. "My dad died a long time ago." My voice cracks at the end as my eyes begin to burn.

He shakes his head slowly. "No sweetie. Your mom told you that to protect you."

"Protect me from what or whom?" I stare at the man in disbelief. He makes no sense. Why would my mom lie to me? She had no reason to! To protect me? That's the weakest excuse I've ever heard because knowing my dad is, or was I don't know, dead hasn't caused me anything but grief.

"From me." Dante whispers as he leans forward as if to touch me again.

"Take me to Derek now!" I screech with terror as I remember Derek warning me over and over again to stay away from this man. Wait, does that mean Derek knew something? Is what this man saying possible? Oh God, I don't need this right now.

"I can't Sky," His voice is thick with sorrow and his eyes shine with unshed tears. "He died in that fire."

With those words, the dam breaks and my world comes crumbles before my eyes. Derek is dead. Laura must be too and of course everyone else. They are all gone. My family; the only family I ever knew have been turned to ashes. Fat sorrowful tears run down my cheeks as the bed shakes with the violence of my sobs. This can't be real. How can Derek and an entire family just burst into flames from one day to another? What is worst, I didn't even say goodbye to anyone. I was going to betray them by just gathering my things and putting an ocean between us. Oh, and the last thing I said to Derek… A truly violent sob rips through my lips echoing around the empty sterile room.

"Shh…" Dante reaches out to me with his hand, but I still move away from him. I still know nothing about him. Even if he is my father, which I seriously doubt he is, he has no right to be here. He has no right to comfort me. "I'm sorry. I know he meant a lot to you. You were raised together like cousins." He lowers his hand as he shakes his head sadly at me.

I turn to glare at him for those words. How dare he say Derek meant a lot to me? How dare he say we're just cousins? Ok granted, Dante doesn't know that Derek didn't mean a lot to me; he was my everything. Dante doesn't know anything about my life because he has never been there. If he had been, he'd know Derek is the love of my life, and I never told him.

"I love him," I proclaim with certainty which is useless because Derek is not here to hear it. That thought rips another sob out of my chest. Derek is gone. Everyone is gone. Forever.

"I know." Dante moves closer to me and puts his arms around me which I let him this time because there's nowhere else for me to go, and I sort of do need someone to hold me. "But you have me. I will protect you."

Protect me? From what or whom? That was an odd thing to say. However I don't dwell on what this man says or doesn't. Right now I don't care to know how he is supposedly my father and what the hell happened with my mother. At this moment, I want to grieve the loss of my real family. The loss of Uncle Peter, who was really my father, Laura the sister I never had, Andre the brother who was supposed to bail me out of jail, Sophie my therapist with a baby in her tummy, Aunt Grace and Julie, the mothers who kissed the booboos away… God this hurts. The burns in my body don't hurt as much as this. The heartbreak of having lost everything I held dear and close to my heart is excruciating like nothing I can ever explain.

"How?" I speak aloud more to myself than Dante. "How did this happen? Why didn't I die with them?" Life is so unfair.

"Don't ever say that," Dante says through his teeth. "But you almost did. The doctors found you had a severe case of Scarlet fever, and the rheumatic fever was slowly killing you. God, I was terrified that you wouldn't make it. You've been out for two days."

I purposely ignore the part where he said he was terrified. This man doesn't deserve to be in my life not after years of absence. I don't even care that lately he had been there for me, but not once did he tell me who he is. It took him a tragedy to finally step in. Gr. I just want to…

"So I don't suppose you know what happened?" I ask him as I lean away from his arm and wipe my nose with the hospital sheets. "The fire I mean or perhaps you can tell me how the hell did you save me?"

He sighs and seeming to get the hint that I don't want him near me, he gets up from the bed and drags a chair next to my bed where he sits. "It's a long story, but first I have to tell you this. You're not Sky Hale anymore. Wait, let me explain. There's someone out there that wants all the Hales dead, and they accomplished it except for you. Charles and I had to forge some papers declaring you dead due to Scarlet fever. As far as anyone in here knows, you are Sky Lorenzo, my daughter." He says the last part with audible pride and love in his voice.

I can only stare at him though as all this information slowly sinks into my smoke filled brain. "Sky Lorenzo? Your daughter?" I scoff at that. "I'm not your daughter. You're nothi… Wait, Charles? Dr. Deaton is involved in this?"

"Sky," he sighs once again and rubs his face tiredly. "I know you don't see me as your dad because I haven't been…"

"Save it," I interrupt as I lay back down on the bed. "I don't care about your pathetic excuses as to why you couldn't be there for me. Thirteen freaking years!" I snort and look away from him. "I just want to know what the fuck happened and why Dr. Deaton has left me with you."

"I have to tell you why I haven't been there in order for you to understand how I found you and how I know who did this," he pauses. "Will you let me?"

"I know who did this," I say glaring at him. "Kate Argent." I had finally pieced two and two together when Dante said someone wanted the Hales dead. Who if not an Argent? And what Argent had spent months with a certain Hale possibly trying to find out information about us? Yeah, I deserve a fucking cookie or Kate's head on a platter. "I have to talk to the police. I need to get her arrested."

"Sky don't you understand?" He says sounding extremely frustrated. "Kate is a dangerous woman. She wants you dead. Besides there's no proof that she had anything to do with the fire. In fact they say it was accidental."

"That's bullshit!" I shout outraged as the heart monitor beeps like a freaking lunatic. "She did it! I know, and I will make her pay!" By the time I'm done speaking my shoulders and legs sting like a motherfreaker while my throat feels like it's bleeding and my head throbs while the freaking monkey drums away.

Just then, the door bursts open and a middle aged woman with auburn hair and wearing yellow enters with a clipboard in hand. The nurse gives me a smile as she gets closer to my bed. Dante gets up from the chair and drags it away, so the nurse can do whatever it is she came to do.

"Well, hello sleeping beauty," she checks the monitor and writes down some stuff. "What's got you worked up Miss Lorenzo? You have to stay calm dear. You don't want to scare dad again do you?"

Oh the things I want to say to this woman and to that man looking sheepishly at me from the foot of the bed. I want to scream at both of them that I am not and will never be Sky Lorenzo, but I don't do that because if I'm going to get my revenge on Kate Argent, it works on my favor that she thinks I'm dead. As soon as I get out of here, I will find a way to get her arrested for what she did. I will make sure she gets locked up for life for killing my family. This is her fault… And Derek's. And mine too…

"When can I get the f-heck out of here?" I ask as I try to rid my head of those dark thoughts and purposely ignoring what the nurse has just said.

"Two days maybe," she shrugs as she pulls out a thermometer. "Your burns need time to heal, and we still want to monitor your temperature. Speaking of which, open wide." She grins as she sticks the thermometer in my mouth. "Good job. Oh look at that, your temperature is normal now! Wonderful. Maybe you will get out in two days. All right sweetie, do you need anything? More lotion on your burns? Your daddy will be more than happy to do my job for me."

Oh fuck no. So now he's acting all fatherly caring for my burns and whatnot? This is just unacceptable. He will never be my dad; Uncle Peter is. Tears begin to leak out of my eyes at that thought, and I turn away from the nurse hiding my face in the pillow as I grimace due to the pain in my legs and shoulders. They are all gone, and it is my fault. If I had told them about Kate and Derek, Uncle Peter and Adam could have taken care of her. I did this. I killed them. I bite the pillow to keep the sobs inside, but it's impossible as the pain ripples through me. I hear the nurse and Dante exchange a couple of whispered words before the door opens and shuts again, and I know she is gone. Wood scrapes against the tile floor as Dante drags the chair next to my bed again, however, this time he doesn't say anything or tries to touch me. He sits silently as I keep sobbing and biting the pillow.

Images play inside my head. Images of my years with the Hales: every Christmas, every birthday, every damn holiday, and every memory I had of that house and its inhabitants tortures me. From the time Jesse hit me with his soccer ball to the moment Sophie showed up with the picture of her baby. Every memory is like a knife digging deep into my chest, and I know I will bleed to death. I won't recover from this because I have truly lost everything. _Derek_. I never truly told him how I felt. The last few hours I spent trying to convince him, and myself, that I didn't love him. God, I told him I hated him, and his face that night told me he believed it. He left thinking I hated him.

"Sky," Dante whispers the pain thick in his soft voice. "Please stop crying _tesoro_. It kills me to hear you cry with so much pain. I know you can't accept me as your father, but maybe I can be your friend. Please give me the chance to take care of you and keep you safe. I promise I won't hurt you, ever again."

I sniff and frown at the wall as I consider his words. For days possibly weeks, Dante has been a friend to me, why can't he be that again? He did save my life. Besides, I have been complaining and wishing Mom and Dad were alive, and now that I have him, I want nothing to do with him. Biting my lip, I consider the possibility of Dante helping me out with brining Kate down… Wait.

"How do you know Kate?" I ask as I turn in the bed to face him again. He is sitting with his elbows on his knees as he wipes his face free of moisture. He has been crying because I'm crying? God.

"I have to tell you a story," he gives me a small smile. "Will you let me?"

With a sigh, I nod. It's not like I have anything better to do but cry.

"I met your mom fifteen years ago at Beacon Hills Elementary," he smiles fondly as his eyes get a faraway look. "Some kid pulled the fire alarm as a joke and everyone was ordered to evacuate until we arrived. After we made sure everything was clear, I was climbing up to the truck when I saw her. She was ushering the kids inside while her dark hair was dancing along with the spring breeze and when she looked my way her blue eyes took my breath away. They were exactly like yours: bright and full of life.

This sounds like a love story, but it's not. I was married. I had been married to my wife for five years, and I am a terrible person, I know. I found it easy to become involved with your mom. She was funny, intelligent, beautiful and kind besides Melissa and I were arguing entirely too much because we wanted a child, but she couldn't conceive. With all those excuses and my desire to have a child, I got your mom pregnant. I considered leaving Melissa, but I realized that I love her. I know you don't want to hear how I hurt your mom, but I hope you understand that I had a special love for Emily, and when you were born, I was overjoyed." He pauses as he gets lost in thought. "I couldn't leave Melissa for Emily, but I promised your mom I'd be there for you. She was angry, and with good reason, that I hadn't left Melissa, so she made sure I couldn't see you. I made so many mistakes, Sky, but you are not one of them. I love you so much _bambina. _I regret not fighting for you years ago. If I had…"

"I wouldn't have been a Hale. I wouldn't have met them, and I wouldn't be here." I bite my lip. "I wouldn't have it any other way." We stare at each other in silence as my words sink in. I sound mean, but if this man had stayed with Mom and me, Uncle Peter would have never taken me in. I wouldn't have fallen in love with Derek, I wouldn't have become good friends with Laura, Andre and everyone. "It doesn't matter what happened. Mom should have known better than to get involved with a married man. Mistakes are made. But I'm glad I ended up with the Hales because now I can avenge them. I'm the last Hale remaining, and I will bring justice to my family."

He takes a deep breath and looks down at his feet and rubs his face. I probably shouldn't have said what I said. Regardless of what happened, he seems to really care for me, and what father wouldn't? Still, if I'm stuck with him and he's stuck with me, he has to get used to me being a Hale. It's funny how all these years I felt like I wasn't one of them, but now I am. What does it take for someone to realize what they have? And why must it always be a tragedy?

"Your story doesn't answer how you know Kate," I ask with a sigh of my own.

"I'm a hunter," he replies flatly.

"You're a what?!" I shout ignoring the soreness in my throat. "How… What? Why? You killed Jesse!" I don't know if he was the one to fire the bullet that killed my cousin, but I can bet he was there witnessing how they brought down an innocent boy. Hell, Dante may even be involved in the fire for all I know. The only reason I'm alive is because I am his daughter, and he couldn't live with himself if I died. He killed my family. He and Kate killed my family.

"Don't," he pleads as he meets my eyes. "I know what you're thinking, don't think that. I had nothing to do with the death of the boy and the fire. Kate has worked on her own…" He trails off.

"She hasn't worked on her own has she? You know something." I narrow my eyes at him. "If you know something, you have to tell me…"

"For what reason?" He snaps getting up. "Sky, please understand you can't take down the Argents. Not now. Perhaps when you are older…"

"I'm not a fucking child! I've been through hell and back!" I snap back as I sit up on the bed. The stinging on my legs and arms is nothing compared to the anger I feel right now. I don't believe jack. I don't believe what Dante is saying about not being involved in any of the tragedies that have taken everything from me. He's a hunter and by default guilty of everything. Any chance he had at winning my trust has gone out the window.

"I'm not treating you like a child," he shakes his head and rubs his face tiredly. "If I were, I wouldn't be telling you any of this. Kate is dangerous please get that through your stubborn head. God, I swear you're just like your mother."

"So, leave! Leave again," I whisper as silent angry tears roll down my cheeks. "I don't care."

"I'm not leaving you, Sky." He replies fervently as he sits on my bed and grabs my left hand kissing it. "I'm not leaving again, sweetheart."

I pull away when the door opens and Dr. Deaton walks in with several balloons and red carnations. As soon as I see him, I burst into tears and open my arms for him to hug me. Dr. Deaton's eyes soften as he rushes to my side setting down the carnations on a nearby counter and letting the balloons float to the ceiling. Resting my head on his shoulder, I bawl like a baby while he strokes my head and murmurs that everything will be ok. The door opens again but quickly closes, and I know Dante is gone. Whatever. Once my sobs quiet down, I pull away from Dr. Deaton, and he wipes my tears with the back of his right hand.

"How are you dear?"

"Not well," I chuckle humorlessly. "My family is dead. I find my father is alive. Oh and I'm technically dead. How did you get involved with him?" I jerk my head in the direction Dante left.

Dr. Deaton shrugs and strokes my hand gently. "He told me everything before the fire, and he also called me after he rescued you."

"Why didn't he rescue the others?" I spit out venomously as I jerk my hand away and lay back down on the bed. "He could have, couldn't he?"

"Sky," Dr. Deaton shakes his head. "You have to understand his priority was getting _you _out. The firefighters got there immediately but everyone was already dead."

"Have you seen their bodies?" I ask morbidly. Honestly, I'm harboring the hope that someone, anyone, survived.

"I haven't been in Beacon Hills since two days ago. I'm relying what the news are saying. Have you seen the news?"

I shake my head and pull the covers tighter around me. I figured the news would have information about the fire, but I'm not sure I'm ready to hear and see all about it. This tragedy is already bad enough because I knew it would happen, and I didn't do anything. To top it all off, the culprit is out there. She is out there celebrating what she has done to my family; she is free enjoying that she has taken everything from me leaving me alone in this world. Well, I'm not exactly alone though. I have Dr. Deaton and that man…

"Dr. Deaton?" He looks up from where he is arranging the flowers. I bite my lip unsure if I should ask him to adopt me instead of Dante. I'm not sure I want to be with a stranger that I don't trust or believe he has had nothing to do with the death of Jesse and the Hales. On the other hand, I don't he'll let me go either. "Nothing."

"What is it?" He frowns as he moves to sit at the foot of my bed again. "Are you in pain?"

"No, I'm just hungry. Could you find me something to eat?" I smile sheepishly or pretend to do so.

He smiles relieved and nods. "I will see what I can do."

After that, I am alone like truly and devastatingly alone. I swallow the sob that forms in my throat and reach out for the remote to my right. Staring at the remote, I take a deep breath and turn the TV across from my bed on. As I flip through the channels for the local news, my chest tightness and the heart monitor beeps wildly. Finally, I drop the remote on the bed as the image of the burned and mangled Hale house appears on the screen. The beautiful and majestic house is no more and all that remains is the skeleton and a ghost of what used to be. My breathing picks up and before I know it, I'm screaming my head off. The sound that comes out of me is like the howling of an injured wolf. Everything and everyone is ashes. Derek. Dee. The love of my life. My freaking family.

"Sky?" Strong and calloused hands grab my face gently. "Sky! Hush, _tesoro. _Hush."

Dante hugs me tightly keeping my head on his chest as I keep screaming until finally my voice gives out and the sobs linger. He begins to murmur in what I think is Italian or Spanish, I'm not sure, and strokes my back careful not to touch the burns on my shoulders and upper back.

"Turn it off," he commands someone. Dr. Deaton's hands reach for the remote at my feet and turns off the TV to which I don't complain because I don't want to hear or see any more. "Sky?"

"She will pay. Promise me she will pay." I beg Dante as I grip his shirt. "Promise we'll find a way."

"I swear to you _bambina_. Kate will pay." He kisses my forehead.

And I feel hopeful that one day not too far from now, Kate will pay for what she's done. I will make her pay for destroying my family and taking Derek away from me.

_Derek_

Camden decides to go find Laura at the hospital and see how Uncle Peter is doing after we both get some crying done. I stay behind needing to take one last look around and continue to torture myself. All of this is my fault. I did this to my dad, my cousins, my aunts and Sky. My love. I betrayed them all, and it ended with their deaths. How could I be so stupid to think Kate was any different, and she wanted to help me end the bad blood between our families? Better yet, how could I be so idiotic to think the feud could end? After checking out the charred inside of the house and crying some more, I head out to the hospital as well.

As I walk, my mind keeps torturing me repeating what I already know: I did this. I did this. I stop walking and sit on the ground and stare off into nothing. How will I move on? I have nothing to live for. Laura and I are alone in the world now. There's no certainty that Uncle Peter will make it, and if he does, it won't be without permanent damage or so the EMT said. This if my damn fault. Mine.

"Mind if I crash the party?" Her voice snaps me out of my thoughts as anger ripples through me.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I growl standing up. "Haven't you done enough damage?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she says 'innocently.' "I came to see if you were ok."

"Stop with the bullshit Kate. You did this, and you're here to make sure we are all dead. Well, we are so congratulations." Before she knows what hit her, I run at her and shove her against a tree. "I'm going to kill you."

"Do that," she chuckles even though I have her throat tightly in my right hand. "And your sister and you will pay. Chris and my dad will go after you mutts and finish what I started. Go ahead, pup, give them a reason to kill your kind."

Her words are like a bucket of cold water. Reluctantly, I let go of her. She coughs violently as I step away from her. She is right. If I kill her, the rest of the Argents will be after us. Honestly, I don't care what happens to me because there's no life for me without Sky. In fact if I die, I might just join her wherever it is that she is, or I could end up in hell where I deserve to be. But I can't doom Laura. I have already hurt her so much that I can't let her life end so soon. Damn Kate. Damn her a thousand times. As I walk away, she follows after me.

"What the party is over so soon?" She shouts after me. "Hey, I'm talking to you!"

"Fuck off Kate!" I turn around to glare at her as I feel the wolf in me come out wishing I'd let it loose. "Just fuck off. You got what you wanted, and be thankful I don't kill you."

"You don't kill me because you don't have the balls!" She cackles and her laughter resonates through the woods as I keep walking needing to get away from her before I really let the wolf out.

When I reach the lake, I stop again to take a deep calming breath as I can't show up at the hospital with claws and my face disfigured with long canines and golden eyes. Stepping towards the lake, I check my reflection and what I see baffles me. My eyes are bright blue. They are the color of Sky's own eyes. _Sky. _My Sky. The confusion quickly clears away as the words of my father echo in my head. The realization makes my knees go weak, and I crumble as the blue disappears giving way to my green eyes.

"She was the one," I whisper as I blink rapidly wishing to see her eyes again. "She was my mate."

God. I lost the only girl I'll ever love; the only girl my wolf will ever love. Perhaps I should give myself up to the hunters, so they kill me and join Sky. I can't do that for the simple fact that I would be putting Laura in danger, and there has to be a way to avenge my family.

When I get to the hospital, Camden is in the waiting room holding Laura's hand as she sobs. When she sees me though, she gets up and throws her arms around me. I hug her back tightly and rub her back as her body shakes with the sobs. We stand like that for a while until finally she takes a deep breath and pulls me down on the chairs.

"How is he?" I ask Laura as she wipes her face with the back of her hand.

"I don't know," she shakes her head and sniffs. "They haven't told me anything." She pauses and bites her lip. "Sheriff Stilinski was here just a while ago. They only have nine bodies and that's not counting Uncle Peter."

I frown while I process that information. There were eleven people in the house. Only Uncle Peter survived, so who is missing? I turn to Laura with renewed hope at the possibility that someone from our family made it out.

"Do they know who's missing?"

She shakes her head. "Not yet. They have to check dental records and run a couple of tests. The sheriff said he would keep us updated."

"Meanwhile one of our own is out there injured!" I snap standing up and beginning to pace back and forth. "When will they know?"

"I don't know," Laura covers her face with her hands. "I don't know Derek. Please let's just take this one step at a time, or I'm going to go insane."

"She's right," Camden adds. "There's nothing else to do anyway but wait."

"It's Sky," I continue to pace in front of Laura and Camden. "I'm sure she's alive."

"Why would you think that?" Camden asks. "I mean, I'm all up for her to be alive but couldn't it be anyone from your family?"

I shake my head. "I know it's Sky."

Even though I love my family and wish any of them had survived, I doubt they did. If Uncle Peter was by the stairs that means he had gone to get Sky while the others had ran to the basement and get out through the tunnels. For some reason, which I know Kate had something to do with, no one could get out through the tunnels. I have the feeling that Sky's father got involved.

"Laura," I kneel next to her. "Have you seen Sky's dad around here?"

"No," she frowns at me for a while until she figures it out. "He got her out!"

"Sky's dad? I thought he was dead." Camden wonders as he frowns.

"He's not. He's been around for a while; she didn't know though." I explain quickly. "He works at the fire station that's why I think he got her out." I add when I see Camden open his mouth to ask a question. "I'm going to…"

"Derek," Laura gets up when she sees a doctor approach us. "That's Uncle Peter's doctor."

"Family of Peter Hale?" The doctor asks and we nod. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but Mr. Hale is comatose. His vital signs are stable albeit the deep second degree burns on his face and half of his body. There is no way to tell when and if he will recover from the comatose. I'm sorry."

Laura and I turn to each other. Why can't he heal? The ability to heal comes with being a werewolf; I can't wrap my head around Uncle Peter being in a comma. His condition can only mean that the fire had done more damage than we thought or maybe his wolf is dormant due to the trauma and loss of the pack. Laura must be thinking the same because she starts to sob again. The doctor looks incredibly uncomfortable as he looks down at my hysterical sister.

"Is there anything…"

"You know there isn't." I snap cutting the doctor off. The last thing we need is pity. "We want to see our uncle."

"Of course," the man turns slightly red as he motions me to follow.

"I need a moment," Laura says when I wait for her to stand up. "You go ahead."

"Stay with her," I tell Camden, and he nods. So I turn and follow the doctor to Uncle Peter's room.

The doctor opens the door to a small and dark room and allows me to go in first. Uncle Peter is lying in bed with a bandage covering the right side of his face and his body. A thousand tubes are connected to him and his heart monitor reflects a steady heart beat which I had heard from the hallway. I'm surprised and concerned he isn't recovering like he should. I turn to the doctor and point to my uncle.

"How high is the possibility that he'll get better?" I swallow loudly and brace myself for whatever news he has.

"It's hard to tell," the doctor shakes his head. "Though there's a higher chance he'll remain like this for the rest of his life. If you need anything, the nurse will be making rounds."

With that, he leaves me to blame myself even more for the condition of my uncle. I did this. If I had listened to Sky, none of this would have happened. Everyone would be alive, and Laura and I wouldn't be worrying that Sky or someone from our family is out there in danger of getting caught by Argents. If I had cut all ties with Kate before I opened my big fat mouth, we would all be home. Sky wouldn't even be angry at me. I would be nursing her back to health. Hell, perhaps she wouldn't even be sick. Sitting down on the only chair in the room, I stare at my uncle or what is left of him. I wonder if he can hear me.

"I'm sorry," I begin with a whisper. "I did this. I had an affair with Kate Argent, Uncle Peter. I'm sorry I told her all about us. I'm sorry I killed our family. I'm sorry I killed your little girl. I'm sorry you're here because of me." By the time I'm done speaking, I have angry tears running down my cheeks, and I can barely breathe. "Please say something."

He doesn't. And he never does. For the next couple of days, Laura and I go to school and take our exams mostly as a way to get some distraction. After school is over, Laura and I practically live in Uncle Peter's room, and we hope and pray he reacts to our voices. Not once does he react except when we get a visit from Sheriff Stilinski. He carries a manila envelope with the name 'Hale fire' written on the side.

"Good afternoon," he says quietly as he shuts the door behind him. "How is your uncle?"

"Same," Laura sighs and continues to stare at our uncle's covered face. "Unresponsive."

"I'm sorry to hear that," he pauses and gazes down at the envelope. "I have some good news and bad news."

"Bad news first," I say from the window.

"Ok," he nods and opens the envelope. "Nine bodies were recovered. Some of them had limbs missing because they, huh, burned completely. The dental records show that the bodies belonged to Andre Joseph Hale, Chase Gregory Hale, Sarah Elizabeth Hale, twins Tyler Julian and Dylan Nicholas Hale, Sophie Beatrice Hale, Grace Elizabeth Hale, Julie Pauline Novak Hale, and Adam Cornelius Hale." Laura chokes when the sheriff reads our dad's name along with the rest of the family's.

I wait for the sheriff to continue, but he doesn't. "I guess the good news is that our cousin is missing."

He nods. "We didn't recover a body for Skylar Hale…"

"He moved!" Laura shouts interrupting the sheriff. "Derek, Uncle Peter squeezed my hand! I swear!" Tear spill from her eyes as she turns to me with hope. "I will get the doctor."

As she does, the sheriff steps towards me. We both stand in silence as we stare at Uncle Peter hoping to see the same sign of life Laura felt. Perhaps hearing that Sky could be out there has gotten through to him. I know I feel far more hopeful that I have in a while. There's a possibility that she is alive. Her father must have taken her, I just know so.

"Is there a possibility she was with someone else at the time of fire perhaps before? Or is there a history of her running away?" Sheriff Stilinski continues quietly as the doctor bursts into the room followed by a nurse and Laura.

"I don't think she ran away, or that she is with friends. She would have sought us out already. We have no other family, but she does." The sheriff stops writing and looks at me with a frown on his face.

"She was adopted by our uncle," I motion with my head to Uncle Peter. "Her mother told her that her father died a long time ago. We continued with the lie, but I know he works at the fire department. His name is Dante; I don't know his last name."

"I know Dante," the sheriff says as he closes his notepad. "He doesn't…" He trails off and looks uncomfortable. "I'm going to check into this. Let me know about your uncle's condition."

Before I ask him what he's hiding, Sheriff Stilinsky slips out of the room. I don't go after him because I want to know what the doctor thinks. He is fussing over Uncle Peter checking his vital signs. In the end, the doctor says it must have been Laura's imagination because Uncle Peter is still unresponsive. My sister sits down defeated holding Uncle Peter's hand as the doctor exists with the nurse in tow. With a sigh, I lean against the wall and stare outside. Sky is out there. I can feel it. What the sheriff has not only brought more sadness but also a small flickering light of hope that I didn't kill everyone. We will find Sky, and I will tell her how much I love her. I won't ever let her go. Perhaps by bringing her back, Uncle Peter will react. The four of us then will find a way to make Kate pay for the loss of our family.

**Ok sorry this chapter is eh. I've been really lazy and not in the mood for writing, so yeah. Sorry. Leave me some encouragement! I kinda need it :/ And don't forget to check out the banners and the new story cover plus summary! **


	17. Scars

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf**

**Thanks for the reviews as always! Also thanks for the favs and follows! (: Sorry for the delay; stupid depression caught up with me, again. But I feel ok, enough to push myself to write. I forgot to say that the new story is titled **_**Invincible **_**and the summary/plot is already posted on my profile. Don't forget to check it out and the lovely banners. Ok, I'm done. **

Chapter 16: Scars

_Derek_

"Dante Lorenzo left days before the fire," Sheriff Stilinski informs us two days after his visit at the hospital. Honestly, it's such a long time to wait to tell us that the possibility that Sky could be alive is nonexistent.

Laura takes a deep breath and runs her hand through her light brown hair. It seems that she has finally cried herself dry because she's composed. Well, as composed as we can be after the tragedy. The sheriff leafs through a much too thin folder with Sky's name written on it. I glare at the folder for its crime of being too thin and holding nothing useful or pleasant. It's like no one is taking the fire or the sudden disappearance of a thirteen year old girl seriously. Crossing my arms to hide my fisted hands, I set my eyes upon the sheriff who feeling my gaze looks up. He doesn't make eye contact for long and turns his eyes back to the folder shifting uncomfortably on the spare hospital chair. Uncle Peter still remains unresponsive and will soon be moved to another part of the hospital where he will be taken care of permanently. In the meantime, Laura and I spend as much time as possible in Uncle Peter's room even though we have taken residence in, surprise, Hotel Paradise.

I hate that place. It's ironic how the hotel is no longer paradise but hell or perhaps purgatory. I wonder if I am in one of Dante's circles. The thought of the Divine Comedy brings a wave of nostalgia as I remember reading it with Sky last year. We had spent entire afternoons reading and discussing Dante's work in the porch. That was before it all went to hell, literally. That was back when everyone was alive. That was before our relationship became strained and complicated both of us fighting to keep our feelings a secret for fear of being rejected. If only we had talked, if only I had not fooled around with Kate. If only…

"Derek?" Laura's panicked voice penetrates through my stupor. "Did you hear what the sheriff asked you?"

"No," I shake my head to rid it of angry thoughts of ripping Kate limb by limb with my own claws which would be the ideal thing to do, but it would end with the death of my sister and comatose uncle.

Laura and the sheriff share a look before he turns to me and repeat his question. "Do you remember the last time you saw Mr. Lorenzo?"

Frowning and pursing my lips, I try to recall the last time I saw Sky's dad. The only time that comes to mind is when I told him to stay away from Sky while she was walking one of Dr. Deaton's mutts. When I tell the sheriff about the incident, he nods and writes it down on his notepad.

"When was this?" He asks without looking up from his note taking.

"I don't know. A month maybe more or less." I fist my hands once again feeling useless and unable to provide any real help.

"Did he have any other type of contact with Sky?" The sheriff continues this time asking both of us.

"No," Laura says.

"Yes," I contradict and ignore while Laura stares at me shocked. "Like I said he talked to her that time a block away from Dr. Deaton's office. I have a feeling he still tried to establish some contact with her. Maybe you should talk to Dr. Deaton and find out if Dante frequented the area."

"Dr. Deaton has been on vacation with his wife for over a week now, and we haven't been able to reach him." The sheriff sighs and closes his notepad and stands up.

"Sheriff," Laura stands up as well and bites her lower lip before continuing. "Do you think he took our cousin? Dante, I mean."

"I don't know, Laura. The captain of the fire department has promised to return my call as soon as possible. He is still very busy trying to find out the culprit of the fire." He pauses and sighs. "It seems that the fire will be ruled accidental."

"What?" I snap, cross the room in a few strides and stand in front of the sheriff. "That's bullshit! Someone started the fire, and you have to find out who did!"

"Derek," Laura snaps warningly at me as she grips my bicep and digs her nails into my skin.

"I'm trying son; we all are." the sheriff takes a deep breath and stares at Uncle Peter still unmoving and covered by bandages and tubes. "Garrison Myers is the investigator responsible of your case. He claims the fire was accidental. I'm sorry." He ends with a whisper and leaves the room hastily leaving Laura, Uncle Peter and me without justice.

"What an incompetent fool!" I shout jerking my arm free from Laura's grasp. I move away from her to the far wall and stare out the window at the setting sun as I struggle to breathe. "He is not pursuing the criminals that have killed our family and left some of us injured beyond saving."

And Sky missing with no hope of ever finding her. Dante could already be on the other side of the world with her or she could be dead. Sky could have been caught by the hunters. Hell, Dante could have turned her in as he is one of them. The wolf in me manages to come out and turn my features more wolfish changing my eyes to a deep and shiny blue. Mesmerized, I watch my reflection on the window and forget that I can't let my wolf out. But those eyes. Those are her eyes. They are the last thing I have of her.

"Derek," Laura gasps as she grasps my shoulders and turns me to face her. "Your eyes…"

Ashamed, I look away and work on pushing my wolf deep inside once again. He is becoming harder and harder to control lately. He wants Kate's blood and her head on a silver platter. If I let him out even for a brief time, I know I'll lose control. Laura has been slowly becoming suspicious of my lack of control, and she tries to remind me of our anchors: family and pack. But those anchors no longer work. How can they work when both are gone? The family and pack are dead. The girl who could have been my mate is missing most likely dead. Maybe my wolf has the right idea and revenge is the best option.

"Derek!" Laura snaps as she tries to turn me to face her while I use my anger to shove my wolf deep inside me. "Look at me."

"What?" I say finally meeting her eyes now that the wolf is locked up.

"Your eyes," she whispers as she stares at me with a frown on her pretty yet aged face. Laura is no longer an eighteen year old high school graduate with a bright future. My sister is now an alpha to a broken pack of two and that is slowly taking its toll on her. Her eyes have bags under them, her cheekbones are sticking out, and I have noticed she has lost a lot of weight due to lack of appetite and sleep. "I could have sword they were blue…"

I know I should tell her. I should tell her that my wolf found his mate, our mate. However, I'm ashamed because I hurt Sky more than I ever thought possible. I'm ashamed because I was weak and failed to save my mate and family. I am weak.

"Derek," she sighs. "Sky is your other half isn't she?" My silence seems to confirm her suspicion, for she wraps her arms around me and holds me while sobs shake my body. "We'll find her. I promise we'll find her." She repeats over and over while deep inside I know we won't.

The next day we bury what's left of our family. Jesse, Uncle Andre and Mom now have company while Laura and I have no one except a comatose Uncle Peter. The burial is like a circus show with reporters trying to snap photos left and right. The sheriff and police department are actually doing a good job at keeping the reporters at bay and even going as far as confiscating the cameras. The people from Dad's law firm are present as are several of his clients and friends of Aunt Julie and Grace. Sophie's boyfriend is a mess on his knees crying for the dead baby and my cousin. Even Sarah's idiot ex is present crying his eyes out. There's no sign of Aunt Grace's boyfriend or her ex-husband though.

Camden stands next to Laura holding her hand like they have been best friends forever. I sigh and look down at my shoes. I tune out the priest as I tug at the tie around my neck. I let Laura bully me into buying a tuxedo because she said our family deserved respect. Someone joins me to my left side and silently hands me a bouquet of daisies. Looking up I see that little kid Sky dated for a while, Josh.

"For your family," he says as he sniffs. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thanks," I mumble as I take the daisies and stare at them.

"I hear you haven't found Sky," he whispers. "You think she's…"

"Dead?" I cut him off. "Yeah."

"Aren't you upset?" He hisses angrily. "She's your cousin…"

"Fuck off," I whisper followed by a sigh. "You don't know what I feel."

Josh, shocked, stares at me for a while then walks away shaking his head and murmuring who knows what. After a while, I hand the daisies to Laura and walk away from the funeral ignoring the shocked whispers of the crowd. They don't understand though. They don't understand I don't deserve to be here because I killed them. My family doesn't want me to be a part of their burial, of that I am sure. I am the traitor that brought death upon all of us. I gave Uncle Peter his scars. The doctor said those scars would never go away. Laura and I know though that if he was to wake up, his wolf would heal him. Still there are deeper scars for which, of course, I am to blame.

Leaning against a statue of an angel, I take a deep breath and sit on the ground. Staring into nothing, I let the guilt and pain gnaw at me for a while until I realize I have wandered close to the grave of Sky's mom. Dusting myself off, I take the last steps towards Emily Bennett's grave. The marble is dusty with a bouquet of wilted flowers on it. What if those sad and dead flowers were the last Sky brought? And that is also my fault… I kneel next to it and feel the hot tears roll down my face and onto Emily's gravestone.

"I'm sorry," I tell Emily as I remove the wilted flowers and caress the cold marble. "I'm sorry I let your daughter die."

I keep whispering my apology to Emily and later find myself apologizing to all my family members hoping for a sign that shows me they have forgiven me. Nothing happens. I continue to cry for a while for Sky, my family, Uncle Peter and Laura, and the invisible scars that will never truly go away. These scars remain from the emotional wounds of losing someone we love and hold close. Footsteps nearing startle me out of my misery. Wiping my tears away, I rise to my feet and awaken my wolf rallying him up for any fight.

Chris Argent steps out from behind a thick tree soon followed by two of his bald and bulky minions. My wolf growls deep inside me as he recognizes the man associated with the murderer of our pack and mate. My wolf begs for release and the singing blood in Chris's veins. It calls to us like a beacon in the distance. _Give them a reason to kill your kind_, Kate's words replay in my head. If I let out my wolf, if I make yet another stupid mistake, Laura and Uncle Peter will pay for them, again. I can't cause them more harm. _Soon_, I tell my wolf as I concentrate on my new anchor: anger. The wolf is placated, for the time being, so I take a deep breath and cross my arms.

"Is it a requirement to be bald to be part of your club?" I sneer jerking my head in the direction of Chris's minions.

"I need a word with you Derek," he replies with that poker face he's well known for and ignoring my taunt.

"I have nothing to talk about with you or anyone from your family. One day, I will kill you all, but in the meantime, stay away from my sister and me." I growl and turn around to leave.

"Don't threaten us," Chris calls after me. "I think you'll find we are capable of taking you down no problem."

"I've noticed that," I reply turning around to glare at him and his puppets. "I noticed that when you killed my fifteen year old cousin or when your psychotic bitch of a sister burned down my house with my family inside."

His poker face slips a little giving way to shock and terror. For a moment, I wanted to think that perhaps Chris had nothing to do with the fire that took everything from Laura and me. But now I know better than to trust the Argents. I know better than to trust anyone but me. Chris could be as good of an actor as his bitch of a sister. The man recovers quickly slipping back his unreadable mask and sticking his hands on the pockets of his jacket.

"I must admit Kate reacted harshly when she shot Jesse Hale, but I…"

"Kate did it?" I interrupt. I don't know why I'm so shocked to find out Kate lied about Chris being the one who killed Jesse. Of course she lied. She wanted to get on my good graces, she wanted my trust so that she could stab me in the back when I least expected it. Of course.

"As I said, she reacted harshly, and I'm s-"

"Don't you dare!" I roar taking a couple of steps toward him. His minions, expecting an attack, pull out their own guns loaded with bullets laced with wolfsbane, no doubt.

Before they even know what's happening, I growl deep in my throat and grab the guy to Chris's right, and flip him over my head making him land on the dirt with a groan and a thud. Immediately the next bald guy is upon me with his hand raised high and pointing the gun at me. I grab his hand and twist until his wrist breaks, and he yelps dropping the gun. After the guy collapses on the ground cradling his wrist and the other gains the ability to breathe again, I approach Chris who still has his poker face on. Getting in his personal space, my voice shakes with anger as I continue. "Don't you dare say you're sorry. It's not going to bring Jesse or my family back. Stay away from Laura, my uncle and me."

Breathing heavy more out of anger than the work out, I turn around to leave once again, but Chris shouts after me. "We will keep tabs on you and Dr. Deaton. One false move and you all pay."

"Pay?" I snort without turning around. "Pay for existing? Pay with what? Our lives? Your sister has already taken our lives. We have nothing left to lose."

"Just give us a reason, Derek," Chris calls out as his minions struggle to their feet. "One reason is all we need."

I say nothing and continue to walk. I know that attacking the hunters or provoking them is not in our best interests at the moment, or ever, but I can't simply go on with my life knowing they are the real monsters. Granted, I played a part in our downfall, but the least I can do is bring some justice to the family, however, when I return to Laura's side my whole attitude changes. Everyone is gone by now, and Laura and Camden are still holding hands and talking quietly to each other. Camden, I hate to admit, has been there for Laura more than I have. For a few days, I've been wrapped up in my own guilt and self-loathing that I don't think of how acting out harshly will affect Laura, Uncle Peter and even Camden now. Revenge will have to be put on hold for a while; that thought does not please my wolf, but I calm him down with the promise of one day making them all hurt.

With a deep breath, I join Laura and wait for her to chew me out for deserting the funeral of our family. She doesn't say anything, though, and instead gives me a weak smile while her eyes seem to question my wellbeing. I nod that I am physically all right while inside there's nothing left.

"I have talked to Captain John Cooper," Sheriff Stilinski says gravely as he joins our small group. He stops a couple of feet away from me and looks rather uncomfortable. "John informs me that Dante decided to move to Atlanta a while ago. Dante is now employed in the Atlanta fire department. I had officers confirm Dante's residence. A friend of mine talked to him and informed him of the events." He pauses. "Sky is not with him. The man broke down in tears when he heard of the tragedy."

"Is he not coming back for her burial?" I ask and realize I sound hollow. Dead.

"She's not dead, Derek," Laura snaps. "She's still alive. What is he doing to find her?" Laura turns to face the sheriff.

"He has hired a private investigator," he looks down at his feet as he kicks the dirt. "I suggest you do the same, if you want to find out what happened to your cousin that is."

"Of course they do," Camden snorts. "But aren't you doing anything to find her, Sheriff? Is there nothing the police of Beacon Hills can do?"

"We have posted her photo on our website and news," the sheriff runs his hands through his hair clearly annoyed. "We have checked hospitals nearby and sent her description to several other counties and neighboring states. No one has any information. It's like she's…" He trails off and turns a deep crimson as he stammers out an apology.

"Dead. She's dead." I nod and once again walk away. Laura calls after me, but Camden convinces her to leave me be. Call me heartless, because I am, but I have resigned to the fact that Sky is dead like everyone else. I walk for hours without a real destination or thoughts in my mind except finding a way to stop hurting and get rid of these scars in my heart.

_Sky_

"I'm so bored," I whine to Celine, Dr. Deaton's wife. "When am I getting out of here?"

Celine chuckles and ties my French braid with a stretchy. "When your dad comes back." She kisses the back of my head and gets up from the hospital bed I have been confined to for I don't know how long. The days have blurred together into an eternal day of pain, loss and tears.

"He's not my dad," I say weakly because at this point, Dante is my father. The tag on my wrist and the chart at the foot of my bed confirm that I am no longer Peter Hale's ward. I am Sky Lorenzo, daughter of a firefighter during the day and a hunter during the night. I chuckle at my thought. A man living a double life sounds kinda cool. No, he's not cool. He's a stranger still. "When is he coming back anyway?" I ask trying to distract myself from the mystery that is still my father and how frustrating he is refusing to speak of his life with his wife, whose name I have forgotten, or anything else about him except of his time with my mother.

"I don't know honey," Celine responds with a sigh as she pours some water for me.

"I wish he would hurry up," I mumble as I take the glass from her.

"Do you miss him?" She wiggles her eyebrows at me.

"No," I snort. "I just want to get out of this stinking hospital." I whine once again.

It's probably been a week and a half since the death of my family and the love of my life. For more than a week, I've been trying to cope with the fact that I let the Hales die. I cannot get rid of the guilt gnawing at my insides twisting my stomach and constricting my heart in unnatural ways leaving me gasping for breath and whimpering. Not even the therapy I'm receiving is helping ease the pain and guilt. However, my therapist, James Dyke, says the key to recovering is faking it until I believe it. It's a fucked up way of coping, but I guess I have to try it otherwise I'll go insane. So I fake that I'm getting better until I believe it. But when my thoughts take me in the direction of Derek, Laura, Uncle Peter, and everyone plus Kate Argent, I wonder if I'll ever truly heal. I wonder if the scars will ever go away. Not only the burn scars but the scars in my soul and heart.

"Sky," Celine pulls me out of my reverie. "Want more lotion?"

"Sure," I shrug. Thank goodness the stinging pain of my burns has diminished. For a couple of days, the simple act of shrugging made me want to scream like a dying banshee, yeah that doesn't make sense but that's how much it hurt. The doctor said I, thankfully, had light second degree burns, and the scars had the possibility of disappearing completely if I take care of them really well which involves applying Silvadine like five times or more a day.

"Okay," Celine gives me one of her many pearly white smiles, which I adore, as she makes me lie down and removes carefully the bandages on my legs. "Look at that."

"I rather not," I grimace.

"The blisters should pop any time now and then…"

"I don't want to know thanks," I murmur quickly before she paints a very descriptive image of whatever will happen after the blisters pops.

Celine lets out a light laughter that reminds me a lot of Laura. That thought brings tears to my eyes which I quickly wipe away and Celine notices. She doesn't say anything though and continues to gently rub lotion on my burns and then wraps them with clean new bandages. The process takes a while leaving me with too much time to think, as if I don't do that already. More memories of my time with the Hales assault me. From the good times to the bad times. Then my mind tortures me by replaying the screams of everyone in the basement, and to torture me further, I try to separate the voices. I try to pinpoint which pained cry belonged to Derek, Laura, Andre, Sophie…

I know it does not do well to dwell in the past, but that past happened a mere week ago, perhaps more. I miss them all, and I want nothing more than to go back in time and change everything. I would go straight to Uncle Peter after I found out the whore Derek was dating was Kate Argent. They would deal with it, and they would all be alive. Derek would be angry with me, but at least he would be alive.

Then the image of the burned house is also engraved in my eyeballs. I cannot erase from my mind the remains of my childhood home. This whole thing is like a nightmare I can't seem to wake up from. Before I completely lose myself in my newly established dark place, Dr. Deaton comes back into the room carrying a bag from a restaurant. He smiles widely and kisses Celine's cheek before kissing my forehead.

"Brought some Italian to celebrate your new heritage," Dr. Deaton says as he begins to pull out several containers from the bag.

"Great idea, honey!" Celine remarks as she finishes up on my back.

"You guys are so funny," I murmur sitting up anyway because I'm hungry and hospital food is so bland and, well, not yummy.

They both chuckle and begin to split the Manicotti pasta, salad, garlic bread and for them some chicken Marsala and for dessert, I am promised a fudge brownie with chocolate mousse, whipped cream and chocolate sauce. All in all, it is a pleasant dinner with two people that are already like another family. I can't and won't ever forget the Hales, and I know they will one day receive the justice we all deserve, but in the meantime, I'm letting these people heal me. In some ways, I do miss Dante. He left the next day he confessed to being my father. That was about four days ago. If he is trying to establish a relationship with me, the distance is not helping him at all.

"Where is he?" I ask Dr. Deaton as they get rid of the empty containers. "Dante, I mean. Where did he go?"

Dr. Deaton and Celine exchange a brief look before Dr. Deaton sits at the foot of my bed and tucks me into the bed. "He… We received a tip from a friend of your Dad's that someone is digging around for information on him. Obviously whoever is searching knows that where your dad is, you will be too. He's throwing them off by spreading the lie that he transferred to Atlanta a long time ago. I talked to him on my way here, and he says an officer talked to him today telling him of your disappearance. Of course your dad is, well, 'devastated.'" He chuckles. "He's a smart man. He has paid a lot of people to lie to the police and forge papers of your death, which will sooner or later come out. We have also made sure to spread the lie that Celine and I are on vacation right now." He smiles, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.

"What's wrong?" I narrow my eyes at him. "I know you're hiding something."

Celine sniffs and goes over to the far window where I can't see her cry, but I can definitely hear her. I turn my attention back to Dr. Deaton who looks sadly at me and almost on the verge of tears too. Oh no. This can't be good. Something has happened; something really bad. That feeling I got when Uncle Peter and I returned from New York to find Jesse had died, settles in the pit of my stomach threatening to throw up the Italian food.

"What… Who? Is Dante okay?" I sit up on the bed and grasp his arm.

"He's fine," he smiles immediately followed by him wrapping his arms around me and hugging me tight. "We won't be seeing you anymore. When Dante returns, he is taking you somewhere. It was the choice of us three to keep Celine and myself in the dark of your whereabouts…"

"What?" I shout pulling away from him. "You can't do that! What about my opinion? Does it not matter?" I shriek as I think of the possibility of never seeing Charles or Celine again. It's like losing more family.

"Sky," Dr. Deaton sighs and tries to hug me again, but I don't let him. "Please understand, if the hunters want you dead, Kate will want you dead. You're the only one who knows what truly happened. They will ask us, Celine and me, if we know where you are. We won't be lying when we say we don't. It's best not to risk it. You'll be ok with Dante."

"No, it's not fair," I cry pulling Charles in for a hug. "It's not fair to put you at risk, too."

"Don't worry honey," Celine joins in on the hug and kisses my head. "We will be okay. Once the hunters realize we are telling the truth, they won't be bothering us, and you will be safe. Maybe one day this will all blow over, and you'll visit."

I let that thought sink in. Before Dante left, he promised he would teach me to defend myself. He promised to make me a badass hunter capable of taking anyone or anything down. Once I learn to defend myself and I'm old enough, he promised we would pursue Kate and make sure she pays for her crime. Once she is out of the way, I will stop hiding. I will come back to Beacon Hills, my home where my friends and memories are. I hug Charles and Celine tighter knowing that this is not goodbye but a see you later. Uncle Peter always told me to trust my instincts, and right now my instincts tell me that this is not the last time I will see Charles and Celine Deaton.

My nightmares have been the same for a while: a burning field of carnations. It always starts pleasant with Derek and me chasing Kitty. Lately, whenever I see Derek, I forget all about that dang cat and throw my arms around him. He holds me back tightly and promises to never let me go or hurt me. When the fire suddenly starts, he lets go and starts running, and even though I follow after him, the fire forms a ring around me and when I run into the fire, I wake up screaming. Tonight is no different. I scream and cough like I did when Dante rescued me.

"It's ok," he whispers in the dark. "It's ok _cara mía_. You're ok."

"Dante?" I say through my heavy breathing as I hold onto his arms.

"Yes, I'm here sweetheart," he strokes my hair as I keep trying to control my breathing and my racing heart. "I'm here."

We stay like that in the darkness and silence of the room with only the lights of Palm Springs filtering through the blinds. After a while, I gently push Dante away and lay back down on the bed. He tugs the covers and tucks me in, but I know I won't be going back to sleep. That dream, or rather nightmare, I had it before the fire happened. It was an omen, a warning that my family was going to burn. Even my subconscious was trying to convince me to say something to the family, but of course I had to ignore it all. I can never forget what I did, and I don't want to. If the burns on my legs and other parts of my body leave scars, I will carry them with me as reminder of my mistake and what I must do to bring justice to the Hales.

"Are you better now?" Dante whispers as he strokes my hair once again.

I nod my head and stare off into the darkness. "When did you get here?" I ask quietly after a few minutes of silence.

"Just a while ago," he replies just as quietly. "I left as soon as I could."

"Where were you?"

"Atlanta," he sighs and rubs his face. "I should have stayed longer, but I was worried about you."

"Can we get out of this hospital now?" I ask instead of acknowledging that he cares for me, and I do too, only a little though.

"We have to wait until the doctor gives the all clear," he pulls out his phone from his jeans' pocket. "It's barely four in the morning. Try going back to sleep; we'll talk to the doctor later."

"Where are Charles and Celine?" I ask as he moves over to the reclining chair across the room. "They didn't leave without saying goodbye did they?"

"Why would they… Oh. You know." Even in the darkness, I can tell he is surprised I know of their plan to cut all connection to my old life. "It's important that you understand…"

"I know," I cut him off with a sigh. "I know it's for the best."

He doesn't say anything for a while, and I can feel him watching me in the dim lighting of the room. "When did you get so mature?" He chuckles lightly.

"When I was robbed of my innocence," I respond darkly. "When the flames of hate burned everything and everyone I held close and dear to my heart. I have seen hell and that has forced me to grow up."

Once again, Dante is rendered speechless. After a while, he pulls me up and hugs me tightly to him. Soon, my gown and hair feels damp, and I realize he's crying. I wrap my arms around him and stroke his hair gently and whisper that it's ok to let it out. It's bizarre that he probably aimed to comfort me, and the roles have been reversed. He is the child crying, and I am the adult providing the comfort. He seems to think the same because suddenly he starts to laugh, and I join soon after. He sits up and grabs my face between his hands as the laughter shakes our bodies. We laugh because there's nothing else for us to do. Suddenly, he leans forward and kisses my forehead.

"I love you _cara mia,_" our laughter ends as abruptly as it started. "And I'm sorry you have been through hell. I'm sorry for your pain, but I promise all that is over. Carry your battle scars with pride but don't let them become everything. Don't let the hatred and anger drive you."

"It's all I have left," I whisper. "Besides you promised Kate would pay. You promised we will receive justice!"

"Yes," he says quickly trying to placate me. "I did promise, and we will. One day. But I don't want you to lose yourself and forget to live."

"Why should I live when Derek, Uncle Peter and my entire family doesn't get to? You don't understand, Dante. I did this to them. For a long time I knew Kate was using Derek for some evil plot, and I never said anything. I was too late and weak to protect them." By the time I'm done speaking, my hands are balled into fists and angry tears roll down my cheeks.

"Sweetheart, this isn't your fault. This is no one's fault but us, hunters. We have never stopped to consider the possibility that not all werewolves are crazed creatures or demons whose only purpose is to rip flesh. Kate has had her mind poisoned; we all have, by Gerard. Some werewolves do lose control, but the Hales, I learned, never caused any trouble. Perhaps you are right in saying that the flames of hate have taken people you love, but don't let the flames continue to destroy you. We will find a way to make her pay, but I hope it won't be everything you think about."

I let Dante's wise words sink in. Martin Luther King Jr. once said that darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that and hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. I'm not saying I will love Kate Argent because that's just ridiculous. I think that what the King meant was to not fight hate with hate or darkness with darkness because what I will get out of it is more hate and darkness. Someday, like Dante has promised, my family will be avenged, but I will not rush it. I will patiently wait for the right time. Perhaps it's not today or tomorrow, but it will come. First, I need closure.

The following months are eternal as I heal from my ugly burns. The blisters, true to the doctor's words, popped on their own, and I had to go get them removed and checked out. In time my skin began to take on a pink tone and they don't hurt as much. On the other hand my relationship with Dante is very rocky. I left the hospital a day after his return. Charles and Celine came to say goodbye as they were returning to Beacon Hills from their "vacation." It turned out that neither Charles nor Celine would have a way of contacting Dante; all communication will be severed. I didn't like it, and I hated having to say goodbye to the last people tying me home. Dante decided to stay in Palm Springs; he had tried to make house buying fun, but I ended up hating every single one. I lashed out at him every time we visited a new house. I wanted my old home, and he couldn't give me that. Of course it was petty of me to ask Dante to give me a replica of the Hale house, but I didn't want a replacement.

In the end, he grew tired and ended up purchasing a monstrosity of a house with three floors which has four bedroom, 3.5 bathrooms, too many damn windows and space in and outside. I don't understand the point of having so much space when it's only him and me, and I didn't ask either. We don't talk much. Of course he tries to make conversation asking me what I like and what I don't. The only information I have given him are my allergies and vegetarianism other than that I don't say what my favorite color is. He painted my room a light green while I was out in my therapy session with Dr. Dyke. When I saw the color, I burst into tears and couldn't even explain to him that it reminded me of Derek. I didn't stop crying until dinner time, and that's when he asked me what I liked and didn't. I couldn't tell him. I don't know me anymore, and he wouldn't understand that. Instead, we limit our conversations to my health and to pass the salt across the large dinner table.

Three weeks after our move in, Dante picked me up from my therapy session with a dog in the backseat of his SUV. The dog was a beautiful female golden retriever named Daisy. Upon seeing her golden fur, I burst into tears in the middle of the parking lot. People passing by thought I was crying happily, and I think for a second Dante thought the same until I shrieked at him to take the dog back to where he got her. In truth, the dog reminded me of Kitty, who without a doubt probably died too. It's very silly that a dog reminds me of a cat. I am being very irrational, but I can't help feeling that Dante is trying to replace everything in my life from my house to my family to even my pets, and I can't let that happen.

This new life with Dante feels unreal, and I need proof that Dante, and even Dr. Deaton or the news, aren't lying. But of course, Dante prohibits me from watching the news, I have no phone, and the only laptop in the house is in his study, which he keeps locked. Granted, I could look anything up using one of the public libraries computers, but this man has me on lockdown. I can't go out except in the neighborhood and for brief periods of time. I am a prisoner. He says it's all to protect me to which I always respond that he should lock me up in a tower and be guarded by a dragon for the rest of my life. During those arguments, I beg him to take me to visit the Hales' graves or the burned house. He always refuses saying it's dangerous to return to Beacon Hills. For months he stays firm in his decision until one night, it all blows up.

"Stop being so stubborn, Skylar!" Dante shouts after me when I refuse to eat his chicken fettuccine for dinner. "I've been patient with all your whims and tantrums but no more! My patience has run thin. Now sit down and eat your damn pasta!"

"I remember telling you I am vegetarian! That pasta has chicken! I can't eat that!" I shriek shoving the plate away from me.

Angrily, he grabs my plate and begins picking out the chicken with his bare hands. Once he removes the chicken, he shoves the plate back to me. "Eat." He growls.

"I'm not eating it after you've touched it." I shove the plate away once again. "Aunt Julie would never forget I'm vegetarian."

"Yeah, well Aunt Julie is not here!" He roars slamming his hands on the table. "She's dead."

As soon as the words are out of his mouth, I can see he quickly regrets them. His flushed face quickly loses color and turns pale; he stutters out something unintelligible in Italian. Ignoring him, I fight back the tears that threaten to come out. Of course I end up losing and start bawling like a baby covering my face with my hands and sobbing openly. For a while Dante stands there unsure of what to do, unsure if I'll let him comfort me since he is the one who made me cry in the first place. When he finally has the courage to wrap his arms around me, I shove him away, like he must have expected.

"Sky," his voice is pained and accented like I have noticed it gets when he's very emotional. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that."

I merely shake my head and walk away and stomp up the stairs to my room in the third floor, as far away as possible from him and the green room. Slamming the door shut in his face, I crumble to the ground still sobbing.

"Sky, open please," he says from the other side of the door. "I'm sorry. I just lost it; that doesn't justify how hurtful I've been, but you have to accept reality."

"I would if you would just take me to say goodbye!" I say through the sobs. "Take me to see their graves."

Silence is the only response I get for several long minutes. For a second, I wonder if he's gone, but I can hear him breathing heavily. After a couple of words in Italian, which I can assume are expletives, he pulls out his phone and begins to have a heated and a bit confusing conversation.

"Donovan, this is Dante. How's your investigation going?" He pauses to listen to this Donovan person. "That's not good enough. I need you to close it already. Make sure there's no doubt of her death… Who are they? Cut the client confidentiality crap I'm paying you big bucks… Don't threaten me. Just close the damn case… Fine, I'll deposit you more money. Call me when it's done."

Soon after he hangs up, the curiosity begins to kill me, so I open the door and poke my head out of the door. He's sitting across from my door staring at his phone and not acknowledging me not even when I crawl out into the hallway and wipe my nose with the back of my hand.

"What was that about?" I ask timidly.

"I received a tip a while ago of someone was poking around Atlanta looking for me. Turns out he wasn't looking for me but you."

"They still think I'm with you?" I ask while I frown wondering why Kate wants to find me so desperately. Ok maybe I know why since I'm the only one who knows what really happened.

He nods. "Or maybe think I have found you since I hinted at the officers that I would hire an investigator to find you."

"How did you get them to stop investigating you?"

"Money. I've known Donovan for a while. I went to him for help on finding who's looking for you and turns out he's the one carrying your case. I have paid him to lie. Soon whoever is looking for you will get reassurance of your death. Next week we'll go visit the Hale house. If you're up for it, afterwards I'll take you to the cemetery. But you have to promise me that you will move on and work on our relationship. You're all I have, and I'm all you have."

Instead of saying anything, I start to cry again and crawl towards him. He wraps his arms around me and holds me while I cry. Even though Dante still refuses to speak of his past, I know he cares for me otherwise he wouldn't be going through so much trouble to keep me out of Kate's radar. Hell, he even puts up with my tantrums and idiocies.

"Do you promise to try and give me a chance at being your dad?" He asks once my sobs quiet down.

"I promise to try and get along, but I don't know if…"

"I understand," he cuts me off though he doesn't sound sad or disappointed. In fact, he sounds sort of happy and hopeful. When I look up at him, he's smiling. "At least it's not a no."

"I guess. Will we really go visit the Hale house?"

"As soon as Donovan gives me the call that the case is closed, we'll go. Unless you have changed your mind."

"No, I want to go. I think… I think I need this." Though inside, I'm not so sure I do. Sure I've been throwing tantrums and wishing for proof, which I can see with my own eyes, that the Hales are truly gone and this new life isn't some sort of sick joke. Then again, I'm sure that what I'll see, I won't like. Maybe seeing my old life burned away will finally push me over the edge, and I will go insane and maybe that's exactly what I want. Maybe I want to be so far gone that I won't feel the guilt still eating me alive because I let my family die and I am not dead with them. I do need this. I need to see it with my own eyes.

The next day, during breakfast, Dante gets a phone call from Donovan. The investigator says that in a couple of hours he will be closing the case and informing his client that I am dead. Dante thanks him and reassures him that the money will be deposited in Donovan's bank account. Once he hangs up, Dante turns to me.

"Ready?"

"Now?" Suddenly the oatmeal and toast look and taste like poo.

"Now or never," he whispers and kisses my forehead before doing the dishes.

Half an hour later, swallowing the bile rising up my esophagus, I climb into the SUV with Dante. We don't say much during the drive and for that I am thankful. I need to be alone with my thoughts. What will I find? Will I finally go insane? Will I finally move on after this? Can I even move on? Should I move on? I can't do this. Suddenly, I can't breathe. The movement of the car is making me nauseous, and I swear the space is getting smaller by the second. The car is going to crash me. There's no oxygen.

"Breathe," Dante squeezes my hand. "Just breathe, sweetheart. I'll be here for you."

I don't say anything and only nod as the scenery changes from dessert to forest. For two hours, my mind tortures me with the image I saw in the news. Will it look exactly like that or worst? For two hours, my mind keeps trying to conjure up the image of my family burning and screaming. Did they suffer a long time? Dante turns into a familiar driveway, and my heart feels like a bomb about to burst. My childhood home comes into view a while later. It's nothing like I remember. Half of it is gone while the other half is charred. The view is worse than I imagined or the image on the news. This is sight blurs my vision with tears and makes my body shake as Dante pulls over. Like a zombie, I step out of the car and take a couple of steps before I fall on my knees hugging myself and letting the tears roll down my cheeks.

The pain I feel is indescribable. I cannot voice it. I cannot move. I can only kneel on the ground as I gaze up at the skeleton of my home gone with everyone I ever loved. _Derek. _ Dante throws a blanket over me, and I realize I've been shivering and for a while now. He kneels next to me and stares at the house too. He throws his arm around me and squeezes my shoulder as the tears keep falling. We stay like that for what must have been hours until I've had enough pain.

"Let's go," I say numbly and unable to rise to my feet or do much of anything. My eyes are glued to the house. "Please."

Without another word, Dante picks me up effortlessly and helps me into the car. Soon after, he's inside driving away, and I close my eyes unable to keep watching the house through the rearview mirror.

"Goodbye," I whisper to the house and the ashes of my family. "Goodbye Dee."

We don't go to the cemetery. I think I have enough proof to know everyone is truly gone, and I am not caught up in a nightmare. By the time we leave Beacon Hills, my eyes lids are closing and my body is shutting down as the weight of the day hits me. With tears still spilling through my closed eyes, I fall asleep hoping that in time the wounds will heal and the scars will disappear.

_Derek_

What kind of investigator is Donovan? Laura and I have paid him a small fortune for his services on finding Sky. Even though I knew it was a waste of time, I let Laura drag me to Donovan's office weeks ago. He swore he would find Sky, and I let hope overwhelm and blind me. Just a few hours ago, Donovan concluded the case saying he found a certificate of death of Skylar Hale hours prior to the fire due to Scarlet fever. Laura realized it made no sense that Sky could have been taken to the hospital because if Uncle Peter had taken her to the hospital, he never would have left her or how is it that no one ever notified us of her death until now. We left Donovan's office and returned to an apartment we ended up renting close to the hospital where Uncle Peter was now being taken care of by some nurse named Jennifer. I had punched a hole on the wall and cried for Sky who has now joined the rest of our family in the afterlife. My sister and I cried for a little; she begged me to find another private investigator, but I have refused. Sky is dead and another investigator will just prove that.

I couldn't stay in the apartment anymore as Laura continued to cry, so as soon as Camden showed up to visit her, I left. Now I let my feet take me wherever they please. I pass Dr. Deaton's clinic and looking at the building, I puzzle over his reaction when he came back from vacation a while ago. Hearing that he had returned, I paid a visit to him to see if he knew about our family and Sky. When he saw me enter his clinic, his face paled like he was looking at a ghost. He dropped a jar that he was carrying, but he ignored it as he stepped towards me.

"How… What… But you're all dead… I heard the news…" He stuttered over and over as he stared at me trying to figure out whether I was real. Then his demeanor changed, and he turned angry. "You have no business here. Go on, get out of my clinic. I want no trouble with the hunters."

After that, he turned around and disappeared inside. Startled, I had left wondering what the hell had gotten into him. When I told Laura, she merely shrugged it off saying maybe he was scared of what will happen to him and his wife if the hunters find out he's still associating with us, and she doesn't feel capable as Alpha to care for us four.

Walking away from the clinic, I shake off the disturbing feeling that Deaton is hiding something. For a while, I don't realize where I'm heading until my home, or what's left of it, comes into view. As I near it, I hear a car start and then the tires as the person drives away. Picking up my pace, I manage to catch sight of a dark SUV leaving. Narrowing my eyes, I toy with the idea of chasing the car and ripping the driver apart. I bet it's a reporter or a hunter checking out the place. With a shake of my head, I take a couple of more steps towards the house and stare up at it. As always, my eyes fill with tears and even more so when I catch a whiff of Sky's scent: violets and sugar. A breeze picks up then hitting me full force with the memory of her like she was just here. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath inhaling as much as I can of her. I open my eyes when a furry thing rubs up against my leg. Looking down, Kitty snuggles up against me and falls asleep. With more tears blinding my vision, I pick up the cat, which is dirty and severely skinny, and head back to Laura all the while hoping that I will always remember her smell like she is here with me.

**Gah. This chapter was hard to write; I'm not happy with it, but it had to be done for us to move on. Well, hopefully I won't take another month to update. Love y'all. **


	18. All I Wanted

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf**

**I'm glad y'all like the last chapter even if it was eh. We're getting closer to the end! :( **

Chapter 17: All I Wanted

_*Three Years Later*_

My boot steps on a twig and, in the silence of the night, it sounds like a motherfreaking tree falling in the forest. I stand still and stiff as cardboard waiting for the boogeyman to jump and rip me apart. Minutes later, nothing jumps out of the darkness, so I move forward holding the crossbow tighter in my hands. I resist the urge to check my phone to see how long we've been on the hunt. Calculating from the time we left home, around seven, plus the hour and a half drive, plus the half hour it took for me and Dante to get loaded up with guns and me with the crossbow that means we started following the trail at nine. After about another hour and a half, Dante decided to split up, and it seems I have been walking for two hours so twelve thirty in the freaking am. This is the reason my damn grades are the way they are, but oh no dear Daddy believes it's all Sky's fault; Sky is not trying hard enough.

I mean, yeah, I like being a hunter. For a year, Dante trained me to be a deadly hunter capable of taking down a wolf with only a knife or an arrow and no crossbow. When my training was over though, Dante didn't let me face any of the wolves and left me at home to get acquainted with Stephen, in a nonsexual way I mean. Now this past year, that's when he has finally let me join him on his hunts.

Ahead of me, the moonlight gives me enough light to spot a strand of black hair hanging from one of the branches. Gently, I touch the hair and sure enough it's werewolf hair, or fur. I smile and continue in the direction I think the wolf went. The first time I ever helped kill a werewolf, I had nightmares for a week. I was overridden by guilt and anguish that I am now killing the kind of the people that raised me. My only consolation is that the wolves Dante and I bring down are seriously psychotic. These wolves have actually attacked people, mostly campers or horny teenagers making out behind a dumpster or in an alley, so I comfort myself with the knowledge that I am not actually killing the Hales' kind. The Hales never hurt anybody.

Thoughts of them form a knot in my throat and cause my eyes to water. I stop walking and stare off into the distance. I am so close to Beacon Hills, my hometown where good and terrible memories are. Where people I loved are buried eight feet under. Over the three years, the pain has gotten a lot more bearable. My thirst for revenge continues but not like it used to before. I no longer fantasize on ways I will kill Kate Argent. I still hope for the day when I will finally make her pay for what she did to my family, but I don't obsess about it.

Getting over Derek though has been harder. It's silly that I cry every night for a guy, but he was no ordinary guy. I know he is the only one I'll ever love. Besides being the love of my life, he was my best friend and family. No guy will ever replace him in my heart and that sort of sucks. In my younger years, I joked with the idea of being a cat lady, but as I grow up and refuse to date, I begin to feel lonely and long for a stable relationship all teenagers dream of. But I can't fantasize about my wedding or what I'll name my children without bursting into tears because my ideal groom and father of my babies has green eyes and is dead. Forever alone. Oh joy.

A grunt nearby startles me out of my bitter and depressing thoughts. "Sky!" Dante shouts desperately.

Racing towards where I think his voice is coming from, my heart thumps loudly in my ears and red clouds my vision. Oh please, let me find him quickly. Howling nearby makes me stop briefly and remembering Uncle Peter's lessons on werewolf communication, I pinpoint in which direction the air is blowing and run in the opposite direction. As the howling echoes, I sigh relieved. This Alpha is not calling the rest of his pack as the howling does not intensify or is low pitched. In fact the wolf is grunting. Perhaps Dante has him under control. After what feels like eternity, I see Dante and a huge black wolf wrestling.

With his left arm in the wolf's neck, Dante keeps the teeth away from his face while with his right, he keeps punching the wolf in the face. The wolf is fighting mighty hard too as he keeps trying to claw at Dante's face. As I raise the crossbow, the wolf manages to scratch Dante's left forearm. Yelping in pain and unable to move it, my father lowers his left arm from the wolf's neck giving the beast the chance to bite his face off. I pull the trigger of the crossbow, and the arrow hits the werewolf in the neck. The wolf stops mid attack and turns to the new threat, which would be me. He growls and moves away from my father and begins to stalk towards me.

Before I have the chance to pull out another arrow, the wolf jumps at me, but I quickly jump out of the way dropping the crossbow in the process. From my belt, I pull out my gun and aim at the wolf as he jumps at me again. However, dear old Dad decided to be my hero, so he jumps and tackles the werewolf to the ground. Thankfully, I didn't pull the trigger, or I would have shot the old man. Dante screams out as I rise to my feet and aim at the wolf immediately firing and blowing its brains out. The dead Alpha collapses on top of Dante. As I make my way towards them, I pick up my crossbow and sigh tiredly.

"I almost killed you," I tell Dante as I shove the werewolf off him.

"He almost killed you," he replies with a grunt as he rises to his feet.

"I had him," I snap. "Jesus, I could have shot you."

"Yeah, well you didn't so let's just cut him up, bury him, and call it a night." He grimaces as he moves towards where he dropped his hunting knife. When he bends down, he holds the left side of his bloodied abdomen.

"Are you ok?" I frown at him while I bend and pick up the knife for him. "Did he bite you?"

Suddenly, I feel cold. If Dante was bitten, I'll probably have to kill him. I doubt he'll want to live like the very creatures he hunts. But the thought of killing my own father makes me nauseous. I can't kill him! Never mind the fact he is my dad, I think I would miss him and it would just hurt.

Yeah our relationship hasn't improved much. I don't call him Dad only Dante. I always do as I please like staying out late, when we are not hunting, with Stephen. He tries to straighten me out by confining me to my room for months, but I always end up climbing out the window or leaving in the middle of the night. Just a while ago he canceled my credit cards for wrecking his Mercedes, which I did just to piss him off. I still cannot forgive him for leaving me and Mom years ago. I cannot forgive that he didn't rescue the rest of the Hales. I cannot forgive that he doesn't talk to me about his past. For three years, I've been living with a stranger. No stranger is the boss of me. But seeing him in pain all scratched up and bloodied, makes my heart constrict painfully.

Dante is too old to be doing this. He knows it too. Years of worrying about me, and still doing so, is aging him faster than normal. He's in his mid-forties, and his head is almost fully covered in white. The laugh lines around his mouth and eyes are prominent. At the pace he is going, he will be dead before my graduation. Perhaps you could help him live a little longer by behaving yourself, a nasty voice in my head snaps. With a roll of my eyes, I throw his arm around me and help him to a nearby fallen tree trunk.

"Sit," I step out from under his arm. "I'll dispose of the body."

"He didn't bite me," he informs me as I cut up the Alpha with the hunting knife. "Scratched me, yes, but I think I'll survive and won't turn into one of them."

"Oh that would be ironic," I murmur as I work on the head. "A werewolf werewolf hunter. That would make for an awesome movie."

"They already made a movie of that," he says through gritted teeth as he rips his shirt into pieces. "_Van Helsing_."

"I guess," I mumble with a small shrug of my shoulders. "Where's the bag?"

"Right here," he hands me a black plastic bag. "Let me help."

"No, just take care of those wounds." I shove his hands away and begin sticking the severed limbs of the Alpha into the bag.

Once all the parts are in the bag, we make the trip back to the car, which is hidden by several tree branches, parked on the side of the road. Out of the trunk, I pull out a shovel and set back into the woods. Several feet into the woods, I begin to dig a hole while Dante stays in the car taking care of his wounds like I told him. When the hole is deep enough, I throw the bag in it and cover it up. Satisfied with my work, I throw the shovel over my shoulder and whistle on my way back to the car.

"You look like a serial killer," Dante comments with an amused smile on his lips when he sees me.

Looking down at myself, I realize I do because I am covered in dirt and blood. "I suppose in a way I am. How many wolves have we gotten this year? Twelve?" This conversation is so weird because I sound very nonchalant while tossing the shovel in the back like it's normal.

"Thirteen with this one," Dante nods closing the trunk and going over to the driver's side. "I'll deposit your half to your account."

"Why not just give it to me? I do need money for necessities like tampons…"

"Ok stop," he grimaces at the mention of tampons. "Don't."

"What? I'm sixteen and need stuff like that. Hell, I should be on the pill unless you want to be a granddaddy already. Hey! I can get my own show, Teen Werewolf Hunter Mom… Um okay gotta work on the title but it has potential…"

"Sky, shut up," he chuckles as he begins to drive back home. "No pill for you. You shouldn't even be sexually active… You're not sexually active are you? I swear if Stephen…" He grips the steering wheel tightly and spares me a hard glare.

"Chill out. Stephen and I are just buddies no matter how much he wants to be more. Besides, you think I would tell you if I'm having sex?" I snort.

"Skylar," Dante swerves the car a little. "Don't even joke about that. You're too young to be having sex."

"I'm not, jeez, Dante don't get your undies in a bunch." I roll my eyes and lean my head against the window.

"When are you going to call me Dad?" He asks suddenly after several seconds of silence.

Instead of answering, I pretend to be falling asleep. He sighs and turns the radio on to a Frank Sinatra station. I smile inwardly and actually let the music lull me to sleep. A while later, I feel the car come to a stop but my eyes refuse to open. Suddenly, I am lifted off my seat, carried into the house, and up my room still on the third floor. Dante, even though injured, tired and old, doesn't complain as he climbs the stairs to my room and gently lowers me on my bed. He takes my shoes off and tucks me in not even bothering to remove my blood stained clothes, which would be weird anyway. Before he leaves, he kisses my forehead.

"_Ti amo, cara mia,_" he whispers as he shuts the door and heads to his own room.

"I love you too Dad," I whisper back knowing he won't hear me before falling back into a deep slumber.

My alarm sounds way too soon. It feels like my head touched the pillow mere seconds ago. Nope. It's seven am. Time for school, oh joy! Grudgingly, I get out of bed and throw the dirty clothes of the previous night, or earlier, on a dark plastic bag under the sink of my bathroom. In the shower, I scrub my skin until it's raw and clean of blood and dirt. While I dry myself, I touch my legs lightly where the skin color is a bit different from the rest. No scars remain from the fire which is fine if I didn't feel like I'm not honoring the Hales properly. I shake my head and continue to get ready for school before I start crying again for them again.

After brushing my teeth, my eyes rest on the girl looking back at me through the mirror. She has a haunted look to her eyes which are no longer bright and full of life or innocence. She is definitely pretty; I'll give her that, with cupid shaped lips, small nose, smooth skin, and long hair stopping just below her newly developed breasts. But anyone can tell that the girl has obviously seen and lived things most girls her age shouldn't have. Werewolves. Fires. Hunters. Blood. Claws. Deaths. With another shake of my head, I hastily brush my wet hair and head down for breakfast.

"I told you she won't." Dante snaps on the phone as he looks out the window completely unaware of my presence. I stay very still by the kitchen counter. "Don't you dare! This time I won't let you… Listen, she will not do such thing even though you do deserve it… I swear to God, Kate…"

"Kate!" I cross the kitchen and take the phone from Dante's hand. "You bitch. I will…" The line goes dead before I finish. "What a pussy." I murmur then turn to glare at Dante. "Since when do you have any contact with the pedophile whore?"

He sighs and takes the phone from me. "Two weeks. She finally found out you're alive." He rubs his eyes. "After all the damn precautions we took, and she finds out."

"Why hasn't she come for me?" I cross my arms to keep myself from swinging at him. He definitely doesn't need me to beat him up any further. The old man has several bandages on his arm and neck with several minor scratches to his face. And is it me or does he look pale?

"Because I have promised her you won't go to the police or anything…" he says after a while.

"What?!" I throw my hands up. "That's… You… Ugh!" Unable to voice my frustration, I grab my school bag from the counter and head out without sparing another glance or word to Dante and without my breakfast.

Hurrying next door, I shove the door to Stephen's house open. His mom is the only one that lives with him now as his father has moved to San Diego with his new boyfriend. Over the years, I became sort of another child for Stephen's mom, and she doesn't mind when I just burst into the house like I own the place. How I met Stephen is actually sort of funny.

Six months after my release of the hospital, Dante began teaching me how to fight against wolves; one of the good things of having been raised by wolves is that I have inside knowledge to their movements which made my training that much easier. The crossbow and gun gave me trouble as my aim sort of sucked. One afternoon, I caught Stephen spying through the fence that separates our respective backyards while I practiced with the crossbow. For a while I let him think I couldn't see him until out of nowhere I fired an arrow in his direction, and he had literally screamed like a girl and ran inside his house. Of course I got a lecture of a lifetime from Dante when Stephen's dad, who was still around, had an argument with Dante over my actions. I calmly pointed out that I had aimed at the tree behind Stephen and wouldn't have hurt him. No one cared though, so I had to apologize to Stephen, who after accepting my apology exclaimed that I am a badass. Since then we became inseparable, and I learned to trust him with all my heavy burdens, and he trusted me with his. Despite his crush on me, we behave like siblings one moment arguing and the next laughing, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Up in Stephen's room, he's still face down on his bed snoring with one leg sticking out. I sit down on the futon across from his bed and fume over Dante until Stephen wakes up. How can Dante promise such thing to Kate Argent? Granted, he could be just lying just to keep the whore away, but still the decision to send Kate to prison is mine and mine alone. Dante is so frustrating with all his secrets, overprotectiveness, and whatnot! Grr. I think Dante secretly hopes I'll just leave Kate be. He's afraid I'll get myself killed, but he just doesn't understand the amount of hatred I hold for that woman. She took my family away. She took the only guy I'll ever love. _Derek. _When will I forget you? When will I move on? Will locking Kate Argent away help any?

"Skylie," Stephen grumbles as he stretches his arms over his head. "You look like shit, baby."

"Thanks, Stevie." I reply with a roll of my eyes and jumping on the bed next to him. "That's exactly how you'll win my heart."

"Just being honest, babe," he shrugs then wraps his arms around me. "You look like the living dead." He pauses and cocks his head to the side as he regards me with utter seriousness. "Are there hunters for zombies? I think I would feel a lot better knowing there are zombie hunters rather than werewolf hunters. A zombie apocalypse is far more likely."

"Are you still high?" I chuckle and get out from under his embrace. "There are no zombie hunters or zombies. Or vampires." I add knowing that will be his next question. Another reason Stephen and I are such good friends, I told him about werewolves and hunters, and he didn't freak out. He shrugged it off and found it lame that vampires don't exist. "Now get ready, we'll be late for school. I want to stop at Starbucks for some coffee. I do feel like the living dead."

"Your wish is my command," he replies jumping out of bed and rushing to the bathroom. "How did it go?" He shouts over the noise of him peeing.

"Awesome," I shout back trying to hold back the giggles. "We got him."

"Cool. I sleep better knowing you're out there risking your ass for us and keeping the world free of werewolves." He smirks as he puts on a pair of jeans that were lying on the floor.

"Oh jeez, thanks. I see how much you love me, asshole." I throw a shirt lying on his bed and grin when he catches it then smells it. With a shrug, he puts the dirty shirt on. "You're so disgusting."

"Thank you," he leans towards me letting his blond hair fall over his blue eyes. "I do love you, and you know it. I hate that you're out there risking your life. I was actually looking out the window waiting for your safe return. Didn't go to bed until I saw your dad carry you inside."

I give him a smile and wrap my arms around his neck and kiss his head. "You're so sweet. I love you too."

"But not like I do," he sighs and straightens up.

"Stephen…"

"I know, I know," he smirks and winks as he puts his shoes on. "One day, Skylie. One day, I will win your heart, that's a promise."

"I wish you'd stop calling me Skylie," I mumble instead of acknowledging Stephen's promise. He has promised over and over again that he'll mend my broken heart, and I will leave Derek in my memories. In some ways, I wish he would just give up because it's not fair that half of the girls in school want to get with him, but he's determined to win me over. There's someone out there for him. But on the other hand, I hope he never gives up, and I actually manage to fall in love with him.

"It's a cute nickname," he shrugs and grabs his bag. "Let's get some coffee."

With a smirk, Stephen throws his arm around me as we head out of his house. By the time we walk out of his house, the sun is high in the sky. The light hits Stephen just right making him look like some sort of Greek god with golden mane and pale features. As I get in the car, I wonder again why I can't give Stephen a chance. _Derek. _Always Derek.

"Skylie," Stephen waves his hand in front of me. "Did you hear what I said?"

"No," I answer sheepishly as I buckle up.

"Figures," he shakes his head and starts his silver Jaguar Coupe. "I said I have a new joke for you. Ready? Ready? You will wet your pants! Er, good thing the seats are leather, right? Ok, ready? Chuck Norris can play the piano with a violin." He arches his eyebrows at me waiting for my reaction as he pulls out of his driveway.

I can only stare at him numbly until I burst out laughing. I'm not laughing because Stephen is funny nor is his joke. No, I laugh because I remember telling that joke once upon a dream. The image of a boy with hazel eyes dances behind my closed eyelids as I keep laughing and holding my stomach. Following the image of Josh, a pair of emerald eyes stares at me longingly like when he played the violin for me. Too many memories in one single idiotic sentence, and I bet Stephen has no clue that his words have stirred thousands of emotions making them wage war inside me as I struggle to not cry.

"Awesome joke dude," my voice shakes a little. "Though I do believe it is Chuck Norris can play the violin with a piano."

Stephen grins as he stops at a red light and puffs his chest out proud of his joke. "Does it matter? The guy is a badass; he can play violin with a piano and piano with a violin."

"I guess." Is all I say while I braid my hair and apply some eyeliner as a way to distract myself from the turmoil of emotions inside my head from despair, longing, sadness, and anger to happiness, fondness, and joy. "Are we still partying tonight?" I ask to keep distracting myself while Stephen pulls up into the Starbucks parking lot.

"Hell yeah," he snorts while we get out. "If you're up for it that is…" He winks before slipping on a pair of dark sunglasses.

"I'm up for it," I'm always up for a party especially if it means pissing Dante off, which I really want to do today after he hid the fact that Kate Argent knows of my whereabouts, and he has promised her that I won't retaliate for what she did to the Hales. "I want to party."

"Oh we will Skylie," he says fervently. "We will party like we haven't partied before! This shall be the most epic party!" As we order our coffees, Stephen keeps rambling on about how epic the party tonight will be. I merely nod and smile as he goes on and regret getting him started on the topic of parties.

The rest of the day goes by painfully slow as does every day of high school. You'd think that being pretty and rich would get Stephen and me a pretty sweet ride through high school, but that is not the case. We pretty much get ignored except when girls are swooning over Stephen in the hallways but are much too chicken to talk to him, or they think it's social suicide to be associated with the pariahs of the school. For me it's different with the guys, every once in a while they hit on me with the hopes of popping my cherry. After several punches to the groin area and explicit details of what I will do to their dicks, none pleasant, the guys have sort of backed away. Yes, as I said, every once in a while a brave soul attempts to talk to me hoping that I am less of a psycho bitch. Today happens to be my lucky day to have James Hudson, who is part of the jocks, hit on me for the first time since I punched him in the balls at a beach party in July.

"Hey Sky," Mr. Muscles and Gel gives me a smirk that I suppose could be sexy, if he didn't have broccoli stuck between his teeth.

Before saying anything, I look over at Stephen next to me. He grins and leans back on his chair and biting down his apple, gets ready for a show. "Hey, James." I say pleasantly enough.

"Listen, I know I came off too strong that night, but I want you to know I'm not like those other guys…"

"Do you have a dick?" I interrupt making sure to keep a straight face and ignoring Stephen's choking.

"Er," James blushes and looks down at his feet, or more likely his pants. "I, huh, I guess? I mean, yes. Yes."

"Then you are exactly like those other guys," I grin satisfied at his shocked expression and hope that he will go away now.

"That makes no sense," James pulls back one of the empty chairs and sits down. So much for going away… "Just give me a chance to prove to you I don't want to get in your pants."

"Dude," Stephen leans forward on the table apple still on his left hand. "Every guy wants to get into Skylie's pants even I do! Please try something else."

"Yes," I nod and turn to James. "Tell me something I don't know." Placing my hands delicately under my chin, I stare at James waiting for him to woo me, and by that I mean entertain me and Stephen.

Clearly confused and uncomfortable at having an audience now, not just Stephen but half of the cafeteria, James squirms and blushes again. "I want to get to know you." He shrugs. "I've been watching you for two years now and not once have you given me or any guy, except Stephen who we think is gay, the time of day. Why?"

"Hey! I'm not gay!" Stephen protests at the same time James finished his epic speech.

"Is that all you got?" I sigh ignoring Stephen's grumbling. "I've heard it all before. James, I don't date, and I won't." Because my heart belongs to a dead person. Because my heart is eternally mourning. Because I'm broken. "Stop wasting your time."

Suddenly, James, needing to prove himself, forgets where we are and grabs my arm violently pulling me to my feet along with him. At that same time, Stephen gets up too, but he's not fast enough, so James manages to crush his lips to mine. As James tries to pry my lips open with his tongue, my knee connects with his groin. Stephen stops halfway to rushing to my rescue when he sees James fall over clutching his private area and groaning in pain. After wiping my lips with the back of my sleeve, I grab James's blond mane and tug.

"I thought you learned never to do that again. If you so much as look at me one more time, I will castrate you. _Capisci_?" I let go of his hair and turn to glare at every guy in the cafeteria. "That goes for all you pigs. Try to touch me again and I will mutilate you. _Comprends_? Understand? _Entiende_? Or do I have to say it in another language? Assholes."

As the tears begin to sting my eyes, I race out of the cafeteria while everyone finally finds a reaction. Some shout profanities at me and others applaud. One of the teachers races to James's side while another, and Stephen, chases after me shouting my name over and over. I don't stop until I'm inside the girl's bathroom and try to calm myself down. I can't cry. Not here. Why can't they understand how much it hurts every time they hit on me? I want to move on, but I can't. Not while the memory and never ending love for Derek haunts me. Perfectly nice guys, like Stephen, keep attempting to get close to me and heal me, but all I want is Derek. All I wanted was Derek Hale.

"We need to talk," Dante shouts after me as I stomp up to my room. Luckily, after things were explained, I didn't get suspended as I was merely defending myself. James got suspended and kicked, temporarily, out of the football team. The school called my father though, so he could come pick me up.

"I have nothing to say," I shout back.

"Well I do!" With a speed I didn't know my father was capable of, he catches up to me at the top of the stairs and blocks my way. "Your behavior is getting out of control. Either you straighten up or…"

"Or what? What are you going to do? Send me off to some relative? I have no relatives! Send me off to a boarding school? Call Kate to come kill me and get me out of your hands? Go ahead! I would love to finally choke the life out of that bitch. Thanks for letting me know about her by the way." I shove him aside, and he lets me through which is weird as I can see he's really pissed. I have never seen the old man like this; he is shaking and his skin is flushed. He balls his hands into fists and walks away soon slamming the door to his own room leaving me baffled in the hallway. What the hell? With a shrug, I go into my room and fall face down on my bed and finally let the tears fall.

Why do bad things happen to good people? That has been my million dollar question of the past three years. And I'm not even referring to myself. Why did the Hales have to die? They were good people never harmed anyone, yet they lived tragedy after tragedy until finally nothing is left. It's my fault. It's always been my fault. I should have told them. If I had, they would be alive. If I had, maybe Derek would have forgiven me by now, and we could work on our relationship. Lots of ifs and should haves that won't change a thing. What's done is done, and now I suffer for my own stupidity.

I wake up to the sound of my phone ringing nonstop. I had ignored it for a while, but it has now gotten ridiculous. Pulling my phone out of my school bag, I notice eight text messages and four missed calls from Stephen.

"What?" I ask with a yawn as I pick up.

"Party time Skylie! Come on, come on, come on! The night is young and so are we! Let us party until the world crumbles and the zombies rise!"

"Jesus, you are weird." I look over to my nightstand at the clock marking 9:36 p.m. "Okay, let me change. Ten minutes."

"Awesome. I assume you'll be getting out through the alternative exit?"

"Naw, I'm leaving through the front door." I jump out of bed and turn the light on.

"Meow!" We both laugh at the same time. "Watch out world, Skylie the badass is on the loose!"

"Weirdo. I'll see you in a few." I hang up still chuckling at Stephen's idiocy.

Out of my closet, I pull out a black blazer and a pair of black skinny jeans. Knowing my outfit will look dull with a black shirt or blouse, I decide to be bold tonight and pull out a light white blouse with a low neck line and completing my outfit with black combat boots. I decide to leave my hair messed up as it looks sexy. On the other hand, my face is a mess with eyeliner smudged from the tears. Eleven minutes later, Stephen is honking his horn like a mad man. With a roll of my eyes, I race down stairs grabbing my keys and sticking them in the pocket of my blazer. I manage to open the front door and slip outside like a ninja, fuck yeah. Before dear old Dante realizes what's going on, I am in Stephen's car ready to party.

I greet him with a kiss on his cheek. He smiles hugely and howls to the moon then steps on the gas and drives away. For half of the drive, Stephen fills me in on the events at school after Dante picked me up. Apparently half of the girls venerate me like some sort of warrior princess. The other half of girls, the bitches, calls me a psychotic virgin who is never getting any. The guys are trickier.

"See, they want you now more than ever," Stephen explains as he parks near the cemetery. "They find you even more endearing as they wonder if you are this wild in bed. At the same time though, they are terrified of you."

I just shake my head and wait for Stephen to open my door. When he does, he throws his arm around me and begins leading me towards the graveyard. For a second, I think we're just passing through but as we make our way through the graves, I get the feeling the party is here. Soon enough my suspicions are proven right when near a mausoleum, a group of teens and college age guys lounge around dancing to indie music playing on a small radio.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," I shake my head while Stephen shouts some names. "A party in a graveyard? Dude, this is sick and disrespectful." Not to mention creepy. I hug myself and look wearily around seeing shapes and figures in the darkness. Hell, I could have sword I saw a pair of gleaming red eyes to my left.

"Oh lighten up Skylie," Stephen takes the bottle from one of the older guys and takes a swing. "Here, have some very cheap beer."

With a sigh, I take the bottle from him and take a long swing. The alcohol warms my throat and makes me grimace at its bitter taste.

"Atta girl!" Stephen takes the bottle and drinks what was left in it. "Let's get this partay started!"

Halfway through my third bottle of beer, I start to giggle. This is hilarious in so many levels. Derek used to hang out with drunkards, though not in a graveyard, at age sixteen. He had the tendency to arrive home in the middle of the night. Of course thanks to his high metabolism, the alcohol levels decreased by the time he got home. What I find funny is that I used to shake my head at him and judge him. Now, I am in the same position. Looking up at the sky, I laugh to myself and rise my beer bottle.

"Here's to you," I whisper as everyone dances around me and pass a cigarette. "Here's to you judging me from wherever you are. Bottoms up."

"Skylie," Stephen slurs and trips several times on his way towards me. "I have been looking for you for ages. Ops sorry dude, oh wait you're a chick. Damn."

With a sigh, I get up from my seat next to the mausoleum and help Stephen sit down. "You have been drinking too much. Give me the keys."

"Wait, wait, I gotta tell you somethin'," he leans towards me as if he's about to whisper something in my ear. In the end, he ends up sticking his tongue inside my ear which is apparently hilarious to him. "Sorry, sorry. I couldn't help myself. I'm going to tell you now. I love you so much, Skylie."

"I know," I murmur while my hands search for the car keys. This party is officially over, at least for us. I know that when Stephen starts proclaiming his love for me, it's because he's about to pass out. "I love you too."

"No, no. You love me like a brother, right? I'm like your gay best friend, except I'm not gay. It's because you love that guy, right?"

"Come on," I get up taking him with me. "We're going home."

"What was his name again?" He says as he stumbles over his own feet while we make our way back to the car. "Damien. Darren. Dobby." The last name makes him cackle like a mad man and fall on his ass next to the passenger door.

"Derek," I sigh and sit down next to him resting my head against the car door. "Derek Hale."

"Right, the werewolf boy." He crawls over to me and gently grabs my face with both of his hands. Without another word, Stephen attempts to kiss me, but I am not drunk enough to let him, so I look away.

"Stephen, my heart belongs to werewolf boy, and you know it. I don't want to hurt you." The tears leak out from my closed eyes while Stephen leans against my shoulder and takes a deep breath.

"He is a dead person, Skylie," he says utterly serious and so sober for a drunken person. "I will wait until you get over him. I'll be here, Sky."

"I know," wiping my eyes and nose, I rise and help him up as well. "Let's go."

After dropping Stephen home and getting him to bed, with the help of his mom, I head over to my own house. Stephen's drunken words, which I hear are sober thoughts, left me once again wondering why I couldn't move on. Why do I have to love Derek so much? Better yet, why can't Stephen give up? He should give up because he will be waiting a long time, and that's not fair. Yet the thought of him getting tired of waiting and finding someone makes me wanna throw up. Maybe it's the beer…

"Where have you been?" Dante's voice comes out of nowhere making me jump fifty feet in the air and pulling me out of my deep thoughts. "You are grounded."

"For what? Defending myself?" I snort and head to the stairs, but Dante seems to have acquired the new ability to sneak up on me and appears in front of me blocking the stairs.

"You're grounded until further notice," is it me or did he just growl? Damn. Dear old dad is pissed. "Now you will head upstairs and pack your stuff."

"You've got to be shitting me," I glare at him. "You're actually sending me to a boarding school. Or are you making Kate's job easier and shipping me to her with a red bow on my head? Happy early Christmas present!"

"We're going to Italy. It's too dangerous to stay here when Kate knows where we are. You're right there is a good boarding school over there. You'll like it, and you can improve your Italian." He replies taking a deep breath.

"Yup, you're shitting me. Good one _dad_ now I'm going to my room and not pack any of my shit. I'm starting to feel that hangover. Night." I try to move past him, but he blocks me.

"You will pack your stuff," he says through his teeth as if he's trying hard to keep his temper under control. "We are leaving."

I sigh. "Let's not. I like it here. I would miss Stephen too much. Don't do this to me, Dad." And I don't know if it's the alcohol, the thought of changing my life again, or the memory of Derek fresh in my mind that makes me start bawling like a baby.

"Then change this attitude of yours," he says sounding a lot calmer and grabbing my shoulders gently. "I know you're still hurting over the Hales, but this self-destructive path of alienating yourself from everyone, the late night partying, the alcohol, and the bad grades none of that is going to bring them back, Sky. You're hurting yourself. You're hurting me."

"You're right. I know you are." I sniff and hiccup at the same time and sit down at the bottom of the stairs with Dante next to me. "I know I can't bring them back. Nothing will. I just… I can't live with the guilt of…"

"It wasn't your fault, Sky," he wraps his arms around me and pulls me close. "You did nothing wrong. You were young; you didn't know what to do. Tragedies happen baby girl, and it's up to us how we get through them. I get it ok. I get how much it hurt you to lose your family; I have felt the same when I lost you and then I lost… This isn't about me. It's about you. What do you want to do with your life? Do you want to drink until one day you crash or die of intoxication? Do you want to throw away a bright future? You told me once you wanted to be a vet, why don't you focus on that?"

"I can't live while they are dead," I whisper finally letting my deepest secret out.

From the moment I woke up in the hospital in Palm Springs three years ago, I can't shake off the feeling that I should have died with Uncle Peter, Derek, Laura and everyone. Why did I have to survive while they didn't? Why didn't Sophie survive? She was expecting a baby. Why did Sarah and the twins have to die? I have nothing to live for. They all did. Andre had dreams of being a lawyer. Here I am, alive and throwing my life away. And like that I finally get it. The realization that the opportunity to live, which was denied to the Hales, can't be wasted hits me hard making me cry harder until my whole body is shaking. Dante wraps his arms around me and kisses my head letting me cry my eyes out.

By the time I'm done crying, the sun is coming up in the horizon. Dante, or should I say Dad, makes coffee for both of us, and we sit in one of the dining rooms and spend the morning talking about the incident at school, my life, and his life. He tells me of his school days, and he attempts to speak of his ex-wife, but he chokes up. Clearly he still loves her, and I understand how much it hurts to lose someone, so I don't push him to tell me. At around eight in the morning, Dad sends me to bed saying that for today I don't have to go to school.

"Goodnight Sky," he calls out as I climb up the stairs.

"Goodnight Dad," I call back, and I can almost feel him smiling.

_Derek_

Laura is thirty minutes late which is no surprise. She always seems to be late when we meet for lunch. Lately she seems to really like this specific restaurant near the university where she studies medicine. A year ago, after graduating high school, Laura and I decided to leave Beacon Hills. We both decided that it was too painful to stay in town after the death of our family. Of course we felt terrible to leave Uncle Peter behind, but there is no point in moving him since he will never react. He is still very much in a comatose. Laura and I decided on moving to New York because this is where Uncle Peter has a nice condo, which he left to us the last living family members.

Three years have passed since our entire family burned down along with our childhood home. Three years have passed since Kate Argent destroyed my life. Three years have passed since I last saw Sky, my Sky. After seeing that investigator three years ago, I gave up on searching for Sky. There is no point to searching for a dead person. Laura tried to convince me over the years to keep searching for her, to at least find her body. I don't think I could handle finding her lifeless body; it would make this nightmare all the more real. Not a day goes by though that I don't think of her. When I close my eyes I see hers. Sometimes when I wake up in the morning, I swear I hear her giggle. The wind sometimes seems to carry her scent. My heart can't seem to let her go, not that I would want to, but it would be nice if it didn't hurt so damn much to be reminded of how I fucked everything up.

"Would you like to order?" The waitress asks for the second time. She is the same girl that serves me my coffee every time Laura wants to meet at this restaurant.

"No thanks," I respond curtly annoyed by her presence. "I will wait."

"Let me know if you change your mind," she says pleasantly completely unaware of my asshole attitude. "My name is Leah."

I grunt in response and look at my watch wondering where the hell Laura is. The waitress leaves when she finally catches on to my lack of interest. Of course I'm not blind. I can smell her lust and attraction towards me, but I am simply not interested. She is rather pretty with dark hair tied in a messy bun, her eyes are a pale blue, nothing compared to Sky's bright blue. Leah is entirely too slim; she obviously needs to feed more, and her complexion is too pale. All in all, she is not Sky. Yes, I am aware she is dead, but I won't betray her memory. I won't betray her again.

"Sorry for taking so long," Laura decides to finally grace me with her presence. She kisses my cheek and sits next to me. "Did you order yet?"

"No," I reply annoyed picking up the menu for the first time. "I was waiting for you."

"Oh that's so sweet. You should have ordered dessert." She clears her throat suggestively.

Before I can process what the hell Laura is babbling about, Leah shows up again. "Hello, may I get you anything to drink?" She says a bit curtly to Laura.

"Yes please," Laura smiles pleasantly. "I'd like some water and a diet coke. Thanks."

Leah writes on her notepad then turns to me with a seductive smile. "How about you? Ready to order anything?"

"Are you ready?" I ask my sister, who without looking up from the menu shakes her head. "Not until she's ready."

Leah leaves with frustration written all over her face. Uncaring to her feelings, I turn back to the menu just out of habit because I already know what I'm ordering. Bored of looking at the menu, I look up at Laura. She looks the same really with long brown hair; she has lost a bit of weight, but it must be that she's doing extra hours of studying to keep up with the her peers. Or it could be that she needs a pack. She hasn't mentioned making a pack in the three years she has been an Alpha. I thought for sure she would make Camden one of us, but that didn't happen. I also thought they would end up dating, but they have only been close friends. Camden, after graduation, went to join the army, and I know he and Laura Skype every once in a while.

"Why are you staring at me?" Laura chuckles quietly and looks to her left. "Leah will get jealous."

"What?" I snort and follow Laura's gaze to Leah who is glaring at my sister. When she realizes she's been caught, she quickly looks away and turns to talk to another waitress.

"I think he's gay," Leah says quietly unaware that Laura and I can hear her perfectly.

"He can't be gay," the other waitress says looking briefly in our direction. "A guy that sexy can't possibly be gay. I don't think the girl is his girlfriend either."

"She kissed his cheek," Leah whines. "And he has been staring at her for a while. He's obviously in love with her…"

I turn to Laura who suddenly gets the giggles. I shake my head and finally realize why Laura likes this restaurant so much. It's not the salads or the diet coke, it's because my sister is playing cupid. Laura is clearly trying to set me up with the obnoxious Leah for reasons I cannot understand. We, Laura and I, know that my wolf will not take anyone else. Hell, I won't take anyone else. Sky will always be in my heart no matter how many times Laura sends me out "to hunt" which she means to hook up with some random girl.

"I thought you understood," I whisper before drinking the rest of my coffee.

"What?" Laura feigns innocence as she too takes a sip of her water.

"I thought you understood I wouldn't want anyone else," I sigh exasperated and rubbing my chin. I need to shave. "Sky is always going to my one and only. She's my mate."

She leans forward on the table. "I'm not asking you to fall in love. I'm asking you to go out, and I don't know have fun."

"I'm not sleeping with a stranger," I hiss angrily before Leah shows up again. This time, we both order our respective food. After showing off her cleavage as she refills my coffee cup, Leah goes away leaving me to argue with Laura. "I'm not betraying Sky."

"Ok, first of all I'm not telling you to go sleep with anyone. Second, she is dead." She says the last word quietly and fast while her face scrunches up in a grimace of pain.

"I know she's dead," I reply quietly as well and staring at the cup in front of me. "But all I wanted, and want, is her. Always. No girl will replace her."

"Derek," Laura sighs and pauses while Leah places our food in front of us, and when she leaves, Laura continues. "You are not listening. You don't have to replace Sky or sleep with anyone, just make friends. Though it would do you some good to go out there and get some. Now I have to go little brother. I have a study session. I'll see you at home."

Before I can protest, Laura is out of the restaurant. With a shake of my head, I begin to eat my steak very slowly and silently. Leah comes back several times, but I ignore her all the same. Laura's words move around in my head. Is it bad that I have some fun for at least once? My sister is right, as always. I don't have many friends. Hell, I have no friends. Mostly, I keep to myself preferring to study at our condo with Kitty for company. That cat has never left my side since I found him outside the burned house three years ago. He is the only thing I have left of Sky; he's my only connection to her.

"Here you go," Leah places the tab in front of me. "Anything else I can get you?"

"No thanks," I hand her my card without looking inside. Minutes later she comes back with my card and receipt. I leave a ten dollar bill on the table, and, without another word or glance in her direction, I leave the restaurant.

Back in the condo, Kitty rubs up against me, and I scratch him behind his ears. After changing into sweat pants, I move my laptop and calculus book to the dining table. The receipt from the restaurant rests on the glass table where I drop it upon arriving home. When I'm about to throw it out, I notice it has a number written on the back along with a '_Call me!_' hastily written. With a roll of my eyes, I'm about to rip the paper apart when Laura's words toss and turn inside my head. How bad would it be to have a one night stand? How badly would I hurt Sky if I do it? _She's dead_. It won't hurt her. It doesn't mean anything…

Leah lies face down on my bed. Her back is exposed to me while I sit on the futon across the bed. How could I do it? After many excuses to myself, I called the girl. We had sex, and afterwards, I felt disgusted. Not with her but with myself. How could I do this to Sky? Sleeping with Leah meant nothing to me, and I know I will end up kicking her out in the morning. That thought doesn't diminish the disgust I feel for myself. Kitty saunters into the room then and sits next to me. He stares at me; his eyes say "_you are disgusting. How could you do this to Sky_?"

I look away from him unable to hold his gaze anymore, but then I see Leah naked on my bed and feel even worst. This will make me look like an asshole, but she has to go right now. It doesn't matter that it is two in the morning. After kicking a very pissed off Leah out, I change the bed sheets and lay down with Kitty next to me.

"We are not moving on are we?" I ask the cat and as a response he only purrs. "Yeah, I know. I miss her too."

**Just one more chapter followed by the two epilogues! **


	19. Epilogue One: I'll Be Seeing You

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf**

**Ok, I have changed my mind**_**.**_** This is the first of the two epilogues I promised. It takes place six years after the fire, and this will include Peter's POV of the second chapter of INTY. Enjoy!**__

Epilogue One: I'll Be Seeing You

_Derek_

"You have to come out eventually!" Laura shouts through the door. We both know she could bring it down without any effort, but I have a feeling she's giving me my privacy.

I don't want her to see me cry especially not for something as insane as a cat dying. But Goddamn it that cat was the last thing I had of her, the family, and my old life. Kitty had lived a long life of about fifteen years. His time had come to go, I know, but it doesn't hurt any less. I had smelled death on him for weeks. Several times I took him to the vet hoping they could do something to keep him alive longer. They couldn't help him. Just last night, I went to bed with him cuddling next to me then at around 2am, I opened my eyes feeling like something was off. It took me a while to realize Kitty's heart had ceased to beat. Since then, I couldn't stop crying or throwing shit around. Laura had woken up to the ruckus and calmed me down enough to not go on a killing spree in our building.

Knowing I was in no condition to arrange a burial, Laura arranged with SPCA a quick burial at a local pet cemetery. Afterwards, I locked myself up in my room with a bottle of tequila. I realize the stupidity of my actions since I never liked the damn cat up until I lost Sky and the rest of my family. Kitty had become my only companion, besides Laura, and the last tangible memory of my life with my beloved. Now, he was gone just like everyone else. What is the point of loving anyone when they will just end up leaving me? I might as well give up on love and continue whoring around this time without the Goddamn cat judging me for smelling like sex. The thought of Kitty never again glaring at me after sleeping with some random chick brings more tears to my eyes. Everything I love dies in front of me, and I can't ever do anything about it. I'm weak. I've always been weak.

"Derek," Laura taps on the door. "Let me in."

After several seconds of deliberation and a swing of the bottle, I rise unsteadily to my feet and stagger towards the door. The first thing I see are Laura's pity filled eyes.

"Well, come on in," my words are slurred and filled with anger and sadness. "Join me in Kitty's goodbye party." I take a swing of the bottle and stumble towards my bed.

"Jesus," Laura gasps at the sight of my room. "It's like a tornado hit this place." Her shoes crush the glass of what used to be a glass coffee table.

"We should throw Sky and everyone a party too," I mutter ignoring my sister's criticism of my wrecked room. "Her birthday passed, and we didn't even notice." Well, I did. I celebrated at a bar then slept with a girl that resembled Sky a lot. It is the same with every girl. They have to look like her in some way. They either have blue eyes, which never quite seem to be like hers, or they have that silky, dark long hair, or those rosy cupid lips. The girl from that night though could have been Sky only it wasn't. Happy birthday, my love.

"Don't do this," Laura sighs and sits next to me. "Don't drown on the pain again. You have to…"

"I don't have to do anything!" I shout jumping away from her. "I have nothing to live for."

"You have plenty to live for. You're only twenty two about to graduate from the best school of business. Dad and Sky wouldn't want you to do this to yourself."

"I don't know what they would have wanted. They are dead and so is that stupid cat." I drink whatever is left on the bottle and throw it across the room. "Thanks for leaving me you asshole! I hope you choke on catnip…" I mutter darkly as I picture Kitty running around a carnation field with Sky running after him. Lucky son of a bitch.

With a sigh, Laura rises to her feet and makes for the door. She stops on the doorway and looks torn as if she wants to say something.

"I don't care," I say before she opens her mouth. "I don't care what you are about to say."

She shakes her head and looks sadly at me. "I'm going back to Beacon Hills. I don't want to leave you like this, so I want you to come with me. Please."

"NO." I snap and make for another bottle of tequila. "You can go by yourself. Nothing will make me return to that God forsaken place."

"That's what I thought," she says with an emotion I can't quite place, but at the same time I don't care. "Please, try to recuperate. If not for my sake or Mom and Dad's memory, then at least for your mate's. Oh, and stop whoring around." With that, she slams the door to my room.

I hear her move around the condo. She packs and makes phone calls which I'm too drunk to pay attention to. I drift in an out of sleep until she knocks timidly on my door announcing that she's leaving for the airport and if I want to go with her it's not too late. I grunt by way of response. She sighs on the other side of the door then leaves.

A month later, I manage to pull myself together. In some ways, Laura's last words helped greatly. What would Sky and my parents say if they saw me this way? They'd be embarrassed and disappointed in my behavior. Laura calls occasionally, but I avoid her phone calls mostly out of shame for the way I behaved. She is the only family I have left, not counting our comatose Uncle, and I treat her like shit. Several times I consider going back to Beacon Hills to join her in whatever the hell she's doing over there. I always decide against going back with the excuse that I can't leave now that I'm so close to graduating from college. After my last class of the day, I get home and rummage through the fridge for something to eat.

My cellphone vibrates in my pocket just as I pull the bacon out. The number is from Beacon Hills. For a second I consider not answering because it's probably Laura. Still my instincts tell me I have to pick up the phone, so I do.

"Derek," it's not Laura's voice, but it is familiar. "I have some bad news." Sheriff Stilinski pauses giving me time to feel like my heart is going to burst in my chest.

"What is it?" I can barely recognize my voice as I feel like my life is about to fall apart, again. Goddamn it.

"It's just sister," my stomach and my heart constrict at the sheriff's words. "She's dead."

The sheriff says something else that I can't understand. I mumble that I will be in Beacon Hills as soon as possible. After hanging up, I stare numbly at the package of bacon on the counter. I don't know how long I stare at it but when I look up at the windows, the New York sky is lit up by stars and city lights. I throw my head back and howl pitifully and painfully. Who killed Laura? I throw my clothes clumsily on a suitcase. For what purpose? I pull out cash from the kitchen counter. Why the hell didn't I go with her? I run out the door. Why didn't I protect her? I jump on a cab still feeling numb but determined to this time kill anyone and everyone involved in my sister's death as well as my entire family. I told Laura I had nothing to live for, but now I do. I will kill the Argents. All of them. If I die in the process, at least I will be seeing my family and Sky again.

_Sky_

As I run, I glance over my shoulder which is really useless considering I can't see in the dark and because of that reason I trip over a thick root. Leaves and dirt gets into my mouth when my body hits the ground with a loud thud momentarily knocking the breath out of me. I quickly roll over and glance around feeling its eyes on me. My heart is thumping loudly in my ears drowning out the sound of its movements. I gulp loudly and feel sweat trickle down between my breasts; my breathing quickens when suddenly it jumps from above a tree. Its eyes glow an unnatural yellow and its features, illuminated by the full moon, looks distorted caught between that of a human and a wolf. The thing advances menacingly slow towards me with a wolfish grin plastered on its ugly face. My eyes begin to sting with tears afraid of what is about to come.

"Please," I beg briefly looking down at his hellish claws. "Please, don't." My mouth feels dry and my heart keeps thumping in my chest as I crawl backwards.

The thing ignores my pleas and keeps advancing towards me with a deep growl forming in his throat. It gets on his fours showing me it's ready to attack, ready to rip my flesh apart. The big bad wolf launches itself at me while I scream and thrust my hand upwards. The knife goes through his throat, and he gags as he slumps against me. Immediately I feel his hot blood pool all over me. Disgusted, I throw the beta aside and rise to my feet. With the toe of my combat boots, I search for the gun I hid earlier during the day.

"Bingo," I mutter when I hit the metal of it. The gun was hidden, as was the knife, under a pile of leaves. Usually, when I play the 'helpless' victim, I hide weapons under piles of leaves or in hollow trees. The problem and risk to that strategy is remembering where I hid the weapons especially in the dark and the heat of battle. However playing Little Red Riding Hood is always effective and rather necessary since the werewolves smell the wolfsbane and instinctively know there's something up with me. How am I to lure them to their death when they avoid me?

Turning back to the beta, I stop him from crawling away with my shoe. What a dummy this one is. He could pull out the knife out of his throat and heal then kill me. Anyway, I'm not about to give him any ideas. Still, I need this kid alive for a while at least. Lately there has been an outbreak in the werewolf population. My mission has been to find out who is turning all these people and why. It's not an easy mission since I always end up killing them before I interrogate them plus I've been doing the hunting alone for a while.

Dear old dad decided to retire from being a hunter just last year. When he told me, I felt saddened that we wouldn't hunt werewolves together anymore, but I also felt relieved that he would be out of danger. He still works part time at the firefighter station here in Palm Springs. Every month, he takes the night off to go hang out with his buddies usually on a full moon. However, lately I had been thinking of telling dear old dad to let me recruit my best friend, Stephen. While I don't mind hunting the dangerous werewolves no one wants to bring down, I would feel a lot safer having someone to watch my back. Besides, I feel lonely and bored with my only company being mean werewolves and afterwards dead bodies.

Sitting on top of the boy, I point the gun at his forehead with my right hand while with my left I remove the knife. He gags and coughs but doesn't try to run or knock me off of him. Sadly, he knows what's coming.

"What's your name?" I ask quietly knowing he'll hear me but drunken idiots passing by won't.

He whimpers and coughs again before answering. "Kyle."

"Well, Kyle, I'm sorry it has come to this," I shake my head sadly. "If you had behaved like a good little boy and not killed Samantha Price, you could have lived past your fifteen years."

Even as I speak, I feel a knot forming in my throat. Poor kid. Whoever did this to him is a sick son of a female dog. Obviously Kyle's Alpha is absent from the kid's life otherwise the Alpha would have taught him to restrain himself. On the other hand, the Alpha might just be sick as well which is why I need to find the bastard before he bites anyone else and ruins more lives.

"Listen," I scoot closer to the kid and whisper in his ear urgently. I need to get over this quickly before my resolve falters, and I let the whimpering kid go. His wound is almost completely healed and his face has returned to normal. How is it that I, Sky Lorenzo of nineteen years old, find this kid attractive? Get back on track woman… "I need to know who bit you. I will make him pay for what he's done to you. Give me a name or a description."

"I don't know," the kid sobs.

"When did he bite you?" I continue only this time climbing off of him. I get the feeling Kyle won't be running off and if he does a bullet of wolfsbane will stop him.

"Less than a month," And then, Kyle starts dishing without any further instruction from me. "I was hanging out at one of my friend's house. I got a call from my mom, so I went outside to answer. All I remember is seeing a pair of glowing red eyes then a huge black monster jumped out of the darkness. I thought I was hallucinating; I was high but the pain on my hip told me it was real. I ran away, went home and cleaned myself up. When the bite disappeared a while later, I thought I had dreamt it all." His eyes glisten with tears as he kneels at my feet. "I swear I never meant to hurt anyone. Sam was my friend! I can't believe I…"

"Hush," I kneel next to him and squeeze his shoulder reassuringly. "It's ok. I know you didn't mean to. It just happened; you had no control over your urges." Inwardly, I curse the boy's Alpha to hell. How could he just leave the poor boy like this? From the very beginning, this kid was doomed if he had no guidance whatsoever. Sadly, I can't do anything for him but end his life before he hurts anyone else he loves. "Kyle, do you have any siblings?"

"No," he answers quickly which is a sign that he's lying.

"How many?" I ask while I pull him close. He doesn't pull away and leans his head against my shoulder.

"A little sister. Her name is Amy, please don't hurt her."

"I won't. I promise and neither will you. I'm sorry for what's happened to you."

"Are you going to kill me?" He whispers ever so quietly I'm not sure I heard him.

"Yes," then I pull the trigger behind his back. He slumps against me, and I let myself cry a little bit for the poor little boy and his family.

This job sucks most of the time. The pay is awesome, I gotta admit that much, but when I have to kill kids like Kyle, I just want to quit. But then there are those douchebags, like the Alpha who bit Kyle, who deserve a painful and slow death for ruining the lives of innocent children. Even though Kyle wasn't of much help to finding the Alpha, I'm glad he's out of his misery. I can't imagine what he must have felt when he found out he killed his friend. At least that's what I told myself to ease my guilt and stop the sobs from tearing through my chest. Somehow, I managed to carry Kyle's body to the trunk of my white Camaro.

A black Cadillac pulls up next to me behind the desolate gas station between Beacon Hills and Palm Springs. I throw the cigarette on the ground and stomp on it. My contact with the government agency that deals with werewolves climbs off the car. As always, the man is wearing a dark suit and dark sunglasses, even though it's past midnight. We never speak during the exchange; he knows my name, but I don't know his. Dad taught me to live on a need to know daily basis. I pop the trunk open and the man in black makes sure the kid is dead and the correct target. After he takes a look at Kyle, he nods and takes the body into his own trunk. He hands me a suitcase with cash and drives away to place Kyle's body in some crime scene by way of explaining his death to his parents and the media. Throwing the suitcase on the backseat, I lean forward and vomit violently next to my car. I haven't done so in years not since the first time I helped Dad cut a beta to pieces. But it's not every day I kill a kid, and I bet he won't be the last.

Stephen is banging on the door. "Come on! Open! I gotta know the gory deets!"

"God, could you please be quiet?" I grumble as I throw the covers aside and drag my feet to the door. Upon arriving from my mission, I found the house empty, as it is every once a month since Dad goes out. I had poured myself a glass of wine, which always annoys the hell out of my dad as he says I will find an early grave with all the smoking and illegal drinking I've been doing since sixteen. After the wine, I fell into an uneasy slumber on the living room's couch. I dreamt of the Hales. They were engulfed in flames, but they didn't seem to feel the fire as they glared at me with all the hatred in the world. I have betrayed them. I kill their kind for money. Technically I don't do it for the money. I do it for the safety of the human race, but sometimes it feels like I am doing it for money.

"Skylie!" Stephen grumbles. "Hurry up!"

"Jesus Christ," Dad groans from the top of the stairs making me jump fifty feet in the air. "Open the door, so he stops making all that ruckus."

"Holy shit, Dad," I shake my head while a smile spreads across my lips. "You look like shit, and God you scared me!"

Dad grumbles something and heads toward the kitchen to make something for his hangover no doubt. After his nights out, Dad always looks pale and complains of muscle aches and headaches. Who would have thought my dear old daddy is a party animal? I see where I get my animalistic partying from, that was sarcasm by the way. I haven't been to a party since Senior Prom last year when Stephen tried to get me drunk enough to get into my pants. It didn't work though, and I couldn't stay mad at him more than one day especially after he showed up at school with a mariachi and flowers. Talk about embarrassing.

"You took your damn sweet time," he mutters pushing past me and stalking towards the kitchen.

"Good morning to you too sunshine," I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my chest while I glare at Stephen.

"How did it go?" He asks ignoring my annoyance completely and taking Dad's cup of coffee.

"Yes," Dad glares at Stephen as he pours two more cups of coffee. "How did it go?" He hands me a cup of black, steaming liquid.

"Eh," is all I say before sipping the scorching liquid. "Shit. It's hot."

"No shit, Sherlock," Stephen laughs and throws an apple at my leg. "Elaborate on 'eh.'"

With what I hope is a nonchalant shrug, I retell the events of the night from the moment I felt Kyle follow me to the very end when I handed the body over. Of course I omit the part where I bawled like a baby while hugging a dead kid and vomiting all over the floor. Dad and Stephen say nothing as I gaze down at my now cold coffee. I can feel their eyes on me as if waiting for me to break down. Silly men, they should know by now I'm a tough cookie.

"Poor kid," Dad says after a while with a deep sigh. "We'll catch the son of a bitch."

"We?" Stephen snorts. "Last I heard, you are out of the game old man."

"I maybe old, but I can still shove my foot up your ass," Dad warns with a playful smirk on his face. "Want to tangle punk?"

"Ok, I'm stopping you both before this goes any further." I pour the cold coffee down the sink. "I don't want to dispose of a body which will most likely be Stephen's."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, asshole." Stephen glares at me while Dad and I chuckle and high five.

"Why don't you take the day off, Sky?" Dad suggests after a while. "Go to class for once. Have lunch with the punk. Go shopping or something."

"No, I need to find the Alpha. That bastard fucked up Kyle's life and tore his family apart." A growl, resembling that of Kyle's last night, resonates in my throat. Regardless of my nightmare and feeling of betrayal towards the Hales, I am determined to find the Alpha and kill him slowly.

"The Alpha will be there tomorrow," Dad argues. "You deserve a break _cara mia_."

"That's the thing Dad," I sigh deeply and rub my temples. "I don't want the Alpha to be alive tomorrow. I want him dead. He has been a pain in my ass for the past year!"

"It's an order," Dad says firmly ignoring my anger and blushing face. "Take the day off. I will look into it. Punk, take my daughter out on a date."

"Holy shit," Stephen drops the spoon he had been playing with upon hearing my dad. "I thought the day would never come when I'd hear those words leave your mouth, old man. The end is near!"

Dad grimaces when he sees Stephen drop on his knees and begin praying. "I think I'll change my mind. He's an idiot." Dad mutters as he leaves the kitchen probably going back to bed to nurse his hangover.

With a sigh, I kick Stephen lightly. "Where are you taking me then?"

"Woah," he rises to his feet and frowns at me. "Am I dreaming? You two just gave me permission to date you."

"Well, it's not really a date. It's more like I'm carrying out my Dad's order." I giggle and wink at him while I go to the living room to fold the covers.

"Eh, I'll take it," Stephen shrugs and gives me a huge, happy grin. "I'll pick you up in ten."

"Make it twenty!" I shout as he bolts out the door. With a shake of my head, I pick up the covers and turn. Something hits the floor with a thud. With a frown, I drop the covers back on the couch and lean forward to pick up whatever I dropped. It's a picture frame with the photo of Derek and me on my thirteenth birthday. I forgot I fell asleep with it in my arms last night. Numbly, I lower myself on the couch and stare at the crumbled picture; the only tangible memory that survived the fire. Briefly, I recall that the night before everything went to hell six years ago, I fell asleep with it too. Hopefully my falling asleep with it last night is not an omen that once again everything is about to change.

_Peter_

"_O, from this time forth, my thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!_" I've always loved drama. But I have loved revenge more. "Hamlet, Act 4, Scene 5." I finished while I felt the power of the Alpha coursing through me. With a shudder, I cleaned my hands on my mangled hospital clothing and stared down at the remains of my niece.

As Hamlet, or rather Shakespeare, so eloquently put it, from this moment on, I would think nothing other than revenge. The death of my niece was nothing more than a sacrifice for a higher purpose. I'm sure she would want things to go this way. She and Derek were much too weak to go after the murderers of our family. Well, I am not weak. I can take care of those involved in the arson on my own. I just needed to lure Laura back to Beacon Hills to take her place as Alpha. Derek will come, I am sure and then I'll decide whether he will meet the same end as Laura. In some ways my dear nephew deserves to be punished. Because of his damn affair with Kate Argent, the bitch killed our family. However we'll see if he's up to the challenge of getting rid of the culprits. With one last look to Laura, I headed back to the hospital all the while whistling knowing I'm closer to revenge.

Several months after going into 'comatose,' Deaton visited me at the hospital. At first, I found it odd that he would visit me since he and I never truly got along. I never liked sharing the love of Sky, and I knew she saw Deaton as another father figure. However, after hearing his confession, I liked Deaton a bit more. I would have liked him a lot more if what he said didn't piss me off greatly. I had to control my heart beat to keep him from hearing it. My little girl is alive. Hearing Deaton confess so made up my mind to finally go after the culprits. Sadly enough, he didn't know where Sky was, and the only reason he was telling me was because I couldn't put Sky in danger like Derek could. Apparently Sky, like Deaton, thinks we are all dead. He found out the truth though after seeing Derek, but he kept the truth from my nephew because word would get out and Kate would go after them.

Not knowing the whereabouts of Sky was no problem though. Jennifer, my nurse, covered for me while at night I searched nearby towns for her scent. Months of searching paid off. I found my little girl in Palm Springs. She was as beautiful as ever and very much grown up. She was practicing with a crossbow at night in the school's soccer field. That struck me as odd. Why would Sky need to use a crossbow? I figured I'd surprise her and ask her myself. However, I caught Dante's scent nearby. He stepped out of the shadows and patted Sky's shoulder proudly. When Deaton told me my little girl was with Dante, I wanted nothing more than to rip the vet apart then go after Dante. How dare they take my girl away? His next words stopped me cold.

"You're getting the hang of it," He said with pride and love lacing his every word. "You'll be able to take out a werewolf a mile away."

Sky became a deadly hunter. I followed her closely but carefully as to not interfere with her hunting, mostly because I wanted to see how good she was. Her abilities could come in handy in the future and like that a plan formed in my head. Seeing her relationship with Dante amused me greatly. She hated his guts. I saw her do rebellious things such as waste money on useless crap, crash a car, and drink heavily all to piss of Dante. I knew those things would eventually hurt Sky, but I appreciated her behavior. She was still my daughter. Of course all my plans came undone the night she and Dante took out an alpha. I could see their relationship change, but I also saw something that interested me greatly. I bid my time though just to make sure I was correct. Years later, I saw Sky's and Dante's relationship change, for the worst. She called him Dad, which she never did to me, and I vowed to kill Dante at the first opportunity I got. However, the old man was never alone. Sky was always by his side when she wasn't hunting. While she was out, a boy who lives next door to Sky spent time with Dante, and I knew then that the boy was in on the secret.

I made sure to keep Sky out of the house as much as possible by biting several homeless people over the last month as well as a boy of sixteen. I watched helplessly as Sky cried clutching the boy close to her chest. I left before I did something foolish like reveal my identity. The time would come for us to be reunited soon.

The sound of a car pulling up front snaps me out of my reverie. Sky returns from a day out with the neighbor. For the first time, Dante was alone all day. I didn't feel the time was right to get him out of the way. I crouch lower on the roof of the house across the street from Sky's. The time would come. I can feel it. She and Dante converse for a while about trying to find the identity of the Alpha, meaning me. When the sun begins to sink in the horizon, Frank Sinatra begins to play inside. Both Sky and Dante join Sinatra in singing _I'll Be Seeing You_. He pulls her out of her seat, and they begin to twirl around the living room as the song repeats several times. Sky giggles delighted. I growl and bare my teeth. If only she knew what her father is hiding…

"We need some tomatoes," Dante says abruptly. "Go get them won't you?"

"Sure thing," she says unsuspecting to the sudden change in Dante's heart rate. Oh, this is going to be good. Several seconds later, Sky climbs on a red BMW motorcycle and speeds away. The sun is practically gone by now. Dante opens the front door inviting me in.

"How long?" Dante says without turning off the music, no doubt to keep anyone from hearing should they come close to the house.

I shut the door quietly behind me. "Six years. Give or take. I have to give it to you, you have raised a fine young lady. With exception to her rebellious stage but then again what teenager doesn't go through it, right?" I smirk and cross my arms.

"Stay away from her," his voice sounds steady. Someone's been doing a good job at keeping the monster caged in…

"Or what?" I challenge stepping closer. "You think I'd hurt my little girl?"

"She's not your little girl!" He roars turning around swinging his arms at me. I move out of his reach. "She's mine!"

"Not for long," I grab his neck and throw him across the living room. "Tell me does she know?"

Slowly, he rises to his feet as his breathing picks up. "Don't you dare."

"Oh, she doesn't know! Tsk, tsk, Dante that's not way to keep a relationship with your daughter…"

"You should know," he smirks and moves towards to me. "You lied to her all this time about me. She has told me. She has told me she is disappointed that you kept us apart for so long."

His words stung deep inside like a knife being trusted deep in my chest. Sky would never say that, would she? She loves me. She's my daughter. She will appreciate what I'm doing for our family. She wants revenge too.

"You lie!" I roar as both of us run at each other. His fingernails elongate as do his canines. We struggle all over the living room. He manages to scratch my face but the wounds are nothing compared to what I inflict upon him. A beta against an Alpha… Please! I manage to rip his arm off and throw it across the room. He growls in pain as sweat breaks across his forehead. "She will hate you once she finds out what you've kept from her." I grab his neck and dig my nails in. "But don't worry, you won't have to live to see her disappointment and hatred. I will console her after your death."

"She will not join you," he says with his last breath as I rip his throat open splattering his blood all over the room.

Just then, I hear the noise of the bike parking inside the garage while Frank Sinatra keeps singing his melody. I run out to hide just in time Sky comes in through the kitchen door. She sighs amused and removes a pot from the stove.

"Dad! Next time, you go get the groceries, and I do the cooking." Silence greets her as I move silently to turn the power off. Boom! The lights go off. "Dad?" Her voice begins to feel with anxiety and precaution. "Dad?" She calls softly as she grabs a knife from the counter and moves slowly and stealthily, for a human, towards the living room.

The gory image of Dante torn apart greets her. For a second, horror and pain cross her features as she clamps her mouth shut with her hand to keep from screaming. Then, hatred takes over her blue eyes. She bends forward and pulls a gun out of her boots. Without her being aware of it, I move to stand behind her.

"Come on you son of a bitch!" Her heart thumps fearfully in her chest but her voice betrays none of that. That's my girl! "You want a piece of me?"

"I do," I reply amused at her silly choice of words. She turns and fires but by then I'm behind a nearby wall. "You look very delicious, Sky." I taunt.

"Who are you? And how do you know me?" Her voice shakes at the end as does her entire body. No, Sky there's no need to be afraid of Uncle Peter. You know me.

"Awh, you break my heart," I dart to her left and she fires again. "Stop firing Sky. You don't want to attract the cops, do you?" Not yet anyway. I have a plan to carry out.

"Answer me bastard, or I will call the cops on your ass!" Oh that potty mouth of hers still remains. I chuckle at her silly words and delighted that the old Sky remains. Several times I saw her and the innocence and lightheartedness was no longer in her eyes. I feared my dear, old Sky was figuratively dead. Hearing her speak like when she was little brings me comfort.

"What are you going to tell them? That a werewolf attacked you?"

"Who the fuck are you!" She yells finally catching on to what I am if not who. She moves slowly towards the door, but I can't let her go yet.

"Don't leave so soon," I whisper standing behind her and blocking the door. She turns to fire again, but I am prepared this time. I grab the gun and twist it out of her hand and throwing it onto the ground followed by grabbing her hand and twisting it behind her back. She gasps in pain as I take in her scent feeling the wolf inside me come out. It wants to rip… It wants to kill her… "Hmm, you smell delicious." Before I can control myself, I run my tongue along her neck.

She takes advantage of my distraction and attempts to kick me in the gut. Feeling relieved to snap out my bloodlust, I smash her forehead against a nearby wall. I let her fall onto the ground with a thud as the smell of her blood fills my nostrils. For a second I thought, Sky would give up or perhaps pass out from the blow, but no. My girl is a fighter. Seeing the gun nearby, she begins to crawl towards it. I kick it further away while I smile amused at her bravery and strength. Some fights can't be fought. I kneel in front of her and see the light slowly fading out of her. She is about to pass out.

"Surprised to see me?" I sneer before her eyes roll to the back of her head. In the distance, I hear the sirens coming closer as well as footsteps. It must be the boy from next door. Before anyone else comes to ruin my plan, I split my left palm open with my claw drawing blood and ripped her shirt open exposing her shoulder. "I, Peter Hale, claim you Sky as my mate. Mine and only mine." I draw the spiral on her shoulder with my blood. "I'll be seeing you."

I kiss her forehead and run out just as the boy bursts inside through the back door. Yes, I'll be seeing her soon. Whether she wants to or not.

**And the story continues with **_I Never Told You _**based on the song of the same name by Colbie Caillat. Next up we have another epilogue, which will contain lots of happiness and some lemon, set after **_Sweet Sacrifice_**. Forgive any mistakes, I haven't proofread. **


	20. Epilogue Two: Howlin' For You

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf**

**Warning: If you have not read **_I Never Told You _**and/or **_Sweet Sacrifice_**,****and you are planning on reading them, beware that the following epilogue will spoil both stories. Read at your own risk. This chapter is also rated M for lemon, if you do not like reading stuff like that, er, sorry? This takes place six months after SS. **

Epilogue Two: Howlin' For You

_Derek_

I could stare at her all day long; her beauty never ceases to amaze me. Two murderous Alphas, one vengeful old man, and one bitch later, my Sky and I are finally together. Still can't believe my luck though; can't believe that she is mine and only mine or that she has given me one beautiful baby boy and is the perfect mother to our adoptive daughter, Laura. Sky's dark hair is sprawled all over the pillow, her right arm is over her forehead, and her mouth is slightly agape as she snores softly. With a smile, I caress her cheek with the back of my left hand. Her mouth turns upwards in an unconscious smile. She turns over and throws her arm over my chest as she rests her head on my shoulder sighing contently.

Just as I am about to pull her closer still, Dante begins to stir and groan in the room next to ours. Stealthily, I untangle myself from my wife and head to Dante's room before he starts full out wailing and wakes up his mom and sister. With me starting my own business, I have barely enough time to help Sky with both Dante and Laura. Usually I come home to find Sky asleep with Dante in her arms and Laura quietly doing homework in the kitchen. Sky doesn't complain at all about me not being home, but I know she eventually will. I have to start pulling my weight around here, so picking up Dante before he begins to cry is the least I can do to give Sky more hours of sleep.

"Little man," I coo picking him up from his crib. "Good morning. Are you hungry already?"

Dante's stomach grumbles by way of answer making me grin hugely. Still cooing incoherently to my son, I head down to the kitchen where Sky keeps breast milk refrigerated. After running the bottle under warm water, I head over to the living room and sit on the reclining couch to feed my son. He begins to feed hungrily as he holds onto my right index finger. I can see why Sky enjoys feeding Dante so much. It brings such a joy to have my son in my arms. I have fed him at least twice since he was born. Not because I didn't want to or Sky didn't let me but between trying to start a business that will provide for my family and helping Deaton and Haberlind find a cure for werewolves, I don't have time to spend with my family.

Helping those idiots find a cure for a blessing was of course not my idea at all. I don't know why they don't just learn to embrace who and what they are. Still, Sky basically forced me to help them in any way I could which usually consists of giving my blood and running some tests for Haberlind. Those useless afternoons I have to spend surrounded by the idiot of Stiles, a whiny Scott, and a brooding Jackson are the pain of my existence. Stiles could never cease to frustrate me with his stupidity and so called sense of humor; just when I had started to tolerate him. The only reason I don't rip his head off is because Sky would have my head. Scott never shuts up about not having enough time to spend with Allison. Besides helping the vets, I have to train Lydia and Scott to control their urges. And the only reason I don't kill Scott is because, well, he's my brother-in-law. Jackson is trickier. I can't figure out what his problem is, not that I've tried. Sky keeps pressuring to have some sort of amicable relationship with him as he is my cousin. The thing is Jackson keeps to himself. He still acts like a self-righteous dick around everyone else but when he meets us to give more blood he stays quiet merely observing us all and leaves as soon as possible.

Of course Sky doesn't have any idea of how tense things are between all of us. She spends most of her time with Dante and driving Laura to school. I try to keep all the other stuff, werewolf stuff, as far away as possible from her. After everything she's been through, from keeping my affair with Kate a secret, the fire, the death of her father and friend, plus killing Peter, who was like her father as well, Sky and our family need to stay as far away as possible from the supernatural. Being bonded to her doesn't help much though. I can keep my thoughts hidden from her, but she usually gets suspicious, and I end up making up some bullshit about work.

Dante soon stops sucking on his bottle and snaps me out of my thoughts. Looking down at him, he's fallen asleep. A smile creeps into my lips as I set the bottle down and stare at my beautiful son. He has the cupid shaped lips of his mother, big almond shaped eyes like my dad, the nose of Sky's dad, dark brown hair like my sister Laura, and green eyes. Over the six months of his birth, Dante has grown quite a lot, and judging by the sound of his heart, he is a very healthy baby boy.

"You have to make him burp," Laura says out of nowhere almost making me jump. No one can usually sneak up on me; I guess I was deep into thought. Turning around in the couch, I find my daughter standing in the doorway rubbing her eyes.

"Thanks for reminding me Lulu." Smiling, I move so she has enough space to settle down next to me. When she does, she lays her head against my arm.

I turn Dante over on his belly and hit him lightly on his back. Out of the corner of my eyes, I watch Laura yawn and stare at her baby brother lovingly. Laura's resemblance to my deceased sister is uncanny and surprising in a good way. Her character is a bit different though. For what Sky has told me, Laura can throw a tantrum if she doesn't get her way. I think it's just the age. Laura is young; she will throw tantrums and be spoiled specially being my little girl. Other than that, Laura is loving and well-behaved. All in all, I am a lucky guy with the perfect family.

Dante lets out a small burp that makes Laura giggle. I turn him over letting him stretch a little bit before going back to sleep. Laura cuddles closer to me and grabs Dante's little right foot in her hand. We don't say anything as we watch Dante sleep. Soon, I hear Laura's light breathing telling me she has fallen asleep as well. Looking at the wall clock, it is barely seven a.m. definitely too early for any of us to be up. Through the bond, I feel Sky stir no doubt about to wake up and get on with her chores of the day. Soon enough, I hear her feet padding across our room, down the stairs, and towards the living room. Her face lights up with joy at the sight of our children next to me.

"Good morning," she sighs happily and sits on the couch's arm.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" I hand Dante over to her and rise to my feet careful not to wake up Laura. Gently, I pick her up in my arms.

"Like a baby," she replies kissing Dante's forehead and following me upstairs to lay Laura down. "How long was he awake?"

"Just a couple of minutes," I whisper as I shut the door to Laura's room. "You should go back to bed. I'm going to head out to work."

"Work?" She frowns then glares as I follow her to our room. "You said you weren't going to work today."

This time, I frown. "I did? Why would…" I trail off when I remember that this is the weekend Sky and I are going to Palm Springs. "Right. I forgot."

She sighs and shakes her head as she lays Dante down on our king sized bed. "You don't change do you? Forgetting stuff and shrugging things off no matter how important they are."

Her words sting deep inside. They remind me of those times I forgot her piano recitals, the time I stood her up for Kate, and down playing the consequences of my affair with Kate. After a while, sorrow and pain are overcome by my own wave of anger. "I'm never going to outlive that phase am I? You're always going to bring up Kate and throw it in my face."

Sky straightens up and refuses to meet my eyes. "I wasn't throwing anything at you. Forgive me if my words came out harshly. Your conscience is as guilty as mine." She goes to the closet to pick her clothes out for today. "I can always convince Stiles to go with me. You don't have to go."

Rubbing my face with both of my hands, I pick up my cellphone from the bedside table. "I'll call Joe."

Joe used to own the bar where my friend's and I used to hang out when we were young. He had come to me because he knew I managed to complete my college education through correspondence and received my degree in business. Due to financial problems, Joe had no option but to declare bankrupt. Instead of doing that, I decided to buy the place from him as well as an empty lot behind the bar. Instead of keeping the place strictly a bar, I have decided to turn it into a club to not only appeal to the adults but also teenagers.

At first, buying the place caused some fights between Sky and me. She hated the bar for the memories it held of me with Kate. Of course I hated it as well, but I am only thinking of a way to provide for my family. Sky had argued that there were other ways; I could start my own business. But I didn't know what I wanted, and the opportunity of owning the bar just fell into my lap. After much talking, and yelling, Sky finally accepted with the promise that I remodel the whole place, which I intended to anyway.

Other than that, Sky and I don't argue much. I don't know what came over us to bring up the past now. I know she must have realized what her words could mean to me, and I am sure she didn't intend to hurt me, but as she says, our consciences are equally guilty. Mine for starting the affair with Kate and spilling the family's secrets to her, and Sky for keeping my affair from the family. In the end though, I know all the secrets she has kept, including knowing Peter was the Alpha doing all the killing, to protect her loved ones. Pushing those thoughts out of my head, I dial Joe's number.

He picks up on the second ring. "Yeah?" He says groggily.

"It's Derek. Could you talk to the inspector today for me? I forgot this weekend I'm going to Palm Springs with Sky." I hate asking for any kind of favors. I hate depending on people for jobs I should be doing. But I can hardly let Sky go back to Palm Springs on her own. Who know how painful it will be to be back home?

"Sure thing buddy. I will see you Monday then."

"Yes." After that we disconnect, and I head back into the room.

Sky is just getting out of the shower and is dressing quietly. She doesn't look up at me when I come in. I head to the bathroom for a quick shower and when I come out, Sky is fixing a small bag for Dante. The awkward silence begins to slowly gnaw at me while I dress. Needing to fill in the void, I blurt out the first thing that comes to my mind. Of course it turns out to be the wrong thing.

"Scott should go too." I grimace and wait for Sky to blow up.

"He should, but he doesn't want to." She says calmly.

I turn around to frown at her. The topic of Scott and their father has been a sore spot for Sky since she decided to sell the house in Palm Springs. Scott had become enraged because he wanted to keep the house as a memento of their father. I knew though that Sky wanted nothing more than to keep the house, but the memories stitched to it must be entirely too painful. That house is where she lived with her father for six years; that house is where he was murdered. The reason of our visit this weekend is to pack up some things and see if anything needs fixing before putting it up in the market.

Several times I have tried to get her to talk to Scott as they don't talk much lately and when they do, they ignore the big elephant in the room. Those times I try to talk to Sky, she ends up yelling at me to understand her. She then picks up Dante and goes to his room to cry. I'm surprised she has managed to stay calm as I bring up Scott.

"Did you ask him?" I continue cautiously.

"Yes. I told him yesterday that if he wanted to go, he could. I'm sure there are some things of Dad's he'd like to keep. He said no." She shrugs, picks up Dante and begins to change him. "Could you wake up Laura? I still need to pack things for us."

"Sure," on my way out the room, I kiss her lips lightly. "He'll forgive you. One day, he'll understand you can't live with those memories."

She doesn't say anything as she continues to dress Dante into a pair of grey overalls. With a sigh, I head out of our room and into Laura's. Every time I come into her room, I'm overwhelmed by the amount of pink. The wallpaper is a light pink stamped with red roses; Laura's canopy bed is also a light pink. Her mats, chairs, and desks are a deeper pink. I wonder how a girl can live with so much pink. Hopefully, for the sake of my eyes, Laura will one day outgrow all the pink and ask to remodel her room.

"N-no." She groans, and I almost believe she's talking to me, but the closer I step towards her bed, I can see her eyes are closed. She's having a nightmare. "Please don't…"

"Lulu," I shake her arms gently, but she continues to beg and shut her eyes tightly. "Lulu, wake up. It's ok. It's Dad."

My voice seems to finally get through to her, and she opens her eyes slowly. Seeing me, her lips tremble and she throws her arms around my neck. I hold her tight and rub her back while she sobs. I hate hearing her cry; it breaks my heart. I murmur incoherently to her until she finally calms down and lets me wipe her tears away.

"Nightmare?" I ask her as she wipes her nose with the sleeve of her pink, princess sleeping gown. She nods but doesn't elaborate. "Want to talk about it?"

She shakes her head and averts her eyes.

"When you feel like talking," I grasp her chin lightly and make her look at me, so she sees that I love her. "I'm here and so is Sky. Okay?" She gives me a smile and hugs me. "All right, time to get up. We're dropping you and Dante off at Melissa's." I tell her after a while.

"Yes!" She shouts and jumps out of bed. "Uncle Scotty and Uncle Stiles will be there too right?" Her face lights up with joy just thinking of those two idiots she loves spending time with. I nod once again, and Laura jumps up and down.

"Go on," I scold her gently. "Get ready or we'll be late."

She goes off to the bathroom to get ready, and I decide to head down to the kitchen to make breakfast for all of us. I doubt Sky will finish packing just yet. Out in the hallway, I stay still when I hear voices down in the kitchen.

"-not the best time to tell him." Sky's voice sounds exasperated.

"I have to tell him at some point don't you think?" Speak of one of the devils. Scott, too, sounds exasperated.

"I don't understand why you're doing this now! I thought you two had reached an agreement." Sky slams the refrigerator door shut.

"It's my decision Sky," Scott replies curtly. "I don't need your approval just like you don't need mine to sell Dad's house."

Oh well done Scott. Balling my fists, I resist the urge to stalk into the kitchen and knock some sense into him. Instead I remain still leaving them time to sort things out, and yes find out what decision Scott has made.

"I would love your approval and support," Sky replies quietly all the anger of whatever previous argument they were having gone. "I don't want you to feel like I'm doing this without you."

"You don't need to do this at all," Scott replies still with anger lacing his every word. "What's the problem of keeping the house?"

Sky remains silent for a while. I don't know why she just doesn't tell Scott what happened there. I think that if he knew that's where Peter murdered Dante, Scott would understand just how painful it is to have that house.

"It hurts." She sniffs and hiccups loudly, and I know I should step in to comfort my wife, but Scott needs to step it up.

"I know," Scott sighs. I hear him approach Sky and wrap his arms around her. "I know that's where you and Dad lived, and it hurts after his death. But it's the only thing we have of him besides the letters. At least you got to meet him; I didn't. Please just think about it."

"I'm sorry Scott," Sky says as she moves away. "I think one day you'll understand…"

"You're impossible," Scott bangs his fist on the counter top.

"Daddy?" Laura whispers behind me. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," I reply quickly picking her up and going down to the kitchen.

"Eavesdropping huh?" Scott snaps bitterly as he rocks Dante back and forth and Sky moves around the kitchen sniffing. "That's not polite. What kind of example are you setting for my niece?"

"Did you, huh, hear everything?" Sky asks as she sets a plate down for Laura. "Eat baby." She tells Lulu.

I shrug unashamed at being caught eavesdropping. It's not my fault I can hear conversations practically a mile away. "Enough. I heard this idiot make you cry."

"That's a bad word Daddy," Laura's says with her mouthful.

"I'm sorry baby. Go on, eat."

Sky takes a deep breath. No one says anything after that either because Laura and I are in the room. I frown and try to get into Sky's mind, but I am blocked by mental walls. Knowing this isn't the time to pry her, I sit down next to Laura. Whatever Sky is hiding, she will tell me eventually, or I will find out. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Scott smiling down at Dante. I bet a couple of hundreds that Sky's secret involves Scott and his "decision," whatever that is.

My wife sets down a cup of coffee in front of me and a slice of toast. When I meet her deep blue eyes, she gives me a small yet loving smile. No matter what tough decisions lie ahead of us this weekend, I think this time away from everything will be good for us. I will make sure to remind her that I love her, and I always will.

_Sky_

"He eats every three hours or so no more than seven ounces. The breast milk should last at least twelve hours. Don't just feed him milk though; I've packed some puree for him and…"

"Sky," Melissa chuckles and bounces Dante up and down on her knee. "He'll be fine. I already raised Scott, and while he's not normal, he's a good kid. I can take care of my grandson. Don't worry."

"What do you mean I'm not normal?" Scott frowns at his mom while Stiles snickers next to me and Derek snorts from the kitchen where he's storing the milk.

"Must you ask?" Melissa glares at him. "You're a… a…"

"Werewolf?" Stiles finishes for her.

"Shut up Stiles," both Melissa and Scott say at the same time, and Laura giggles that Stiles got reprimanded.

The only way to explain to Melissa the events leading Scott's disappearance and mine as well, Scott decided to tell his mom all about werewolves leaving out the part where I am a hunter. We don't want her to hate me again knowing there are people after his son, and I am one of those people. Melissa was shocked to say the least to have found out what her son has been up to for a while. I think she hasn't come to terms with what Scott is and sometimes I detect some fear in her eyes.

The awkwardness in the room is overwhelming as Melissa avoids looking at Scott, and Scott avoids looking at me. Stiles seems to be the only one untroubled by the silence. He sits next to me on Melissa's living room couch grumbling to himself about child abuse and how everyone is traumatizing him.

"Anyway," I clear my throat. "I know. I just worry." I smile sheepishly as I gaze adoringly at my baby in Melissa's arms.

How did I get so lucky to have a beautiful family? If only Dad and Stephen were here… I look over to Scott leaning against the doorway. He arrived this morning at my house as I descended the stairs with Dante in my arms and his bag over my shoulder. I had heard Derek talking to Laura about a nightmare she had. I had let them be and decided to make breakfast when Scott barged into the house. He had helped me by taking Dante from my arms and following me to the kitchen. At first I had thought he was coming to tell me he would go with me after all. Instead he told me he had made a decision. We had been speaking about the same thing over and over, and since I had promised Scott, I kept those conversations a secret from Derek. With my mate so close, I am careful with my thoughts, or he'll find out. Still, I can't help but wonder if Scott made the decision just to anger me because I'm selling Dad's house. He wants me to feel left out of his life decisions.

Scott doesn't understand why I'm doing this though. I doubt he ever will if I don't tell him that house is where Dad got ripped to pieces. The last thing I want is to traumatize him or make him even more enraged with Peter, even though he's dead.

I don't want to get rid of the house, but I know I won't ever be able to set foot in it again. Not after everything that's happened. I don't even want to set foot in Palm Springs. Last time I was there, for Stephen's funeral, I was overwhelmed with the memories. It's like what happened here in Beacon Hills after the fire. After Dad was murdered by Peter, and I decided to move back here to avenge him, I found myself often tearing up just thinking of the Hales and the happy memories we made. It's still not easy, but it's getting better. I don't know when I'll be able to step foot in Palm Springs without choking with emotion. It's best to cut all ties with Palm Springs at least for a while.

"It's understandable," Melissa says softly and for a moment I feel like she's reading my mind. But I quickly realize she's talking about me worrying for Dante. "I will take care of him and Lulu. Yes, I will." She coos at Dante and kisses his nose.

"I know," I sigh and rise to my feet. "Well, we better get going. Thanks for doing this Melissa."

"Of course Sky," Melissa smiles happily at me and follows me out. "Hey, you two need to get going. You'll be late." She scolds me and Derek gently.

It amazes me how much Melissa has changed over the almost year and a half we have known each other. At first I was the bastard child of her husband but now I'm just his daughter as much as Scott is her son. That reminds me that maybe I should be paying my own mother a visit in the cemetery. With a sigh, I step out into a typical summer day. The sun is already high in the sky. Derek stops to bend down and kiss Laura's cheek.

"Bye, bye baby," I coo to Dante kissing both of his hands then his forehead. "Mommy will miss you. I love you." When Derek moves to kiss Dante goodbye, I kneel down to Laura's eye level. "You got everything sweetie? Asthma inhaler?"

"Yes," she nods fervently.

"Good," I smile at her as I smooth down her hair. "Be good to Grandma and don't hit Uncle Stiles too hard. He bruises easily."

"Hey!" Stiles protests loudly. "It's not my fault I am a delicate flower." He huffs indignantly.

I roll my eyes while Laura and Scott laugh at him. "I love you." I kiss Laura's cheeks and head over to the car where Derek is already waiting. Looking back, I wave at everyone. Scott doesn't look my way and instead picks up Laura in his arms. With a sigh, I climb into the car and keep waving until the family is out my line of vision.

"They'll be fine." Derek reassures me as we hit the highway. "Melissa is a good mom, and I hate to admit it, but those idiots love the kids. They'll help her."

"I know," I nod and give him a brief smile. "Everything will be ok."

We don't say much for the rest of the drive. I try to breathe evenly when Derek turns into the driveway of my old house. It looks sad as the once lush and beautiful yard is overgrown. The purple and white spider flowers Dad used to grow, and Stephen promised to look after are dry and gone. Even the palm trees on each side of the house look yellow and sad. I haven't even gone inside, and I'm already choking up.

"Sky?" Derek grabs my hand gently in his. "It'll be ok. I'm here." His emerald eyes reassure me that with him by side, I can do it all.

But once we are walking up the steps of the porch and I glance to my right, I find Stephen's house has been bought. There's a land gnome with a wheelbarrow at the very front of the lawn. Stephen hated those gnomes. He used to believe they were possessed. Tears blur my vision but before I know it, Derek wraps his strong arms around me and hugs me tightly. I take the comfort he provides and bury my face in his neck. He pulls out the keys from my purse and opens the door and pulls me inside.

The interior of the house is very much like the outside: sad, empty, and lonesome. Spider webs, dust bunnies, and my memories are the only residents of the house.

"The very first time I saw this house," I tell Derek between sobs as I stand in the foyer. "I hated this place. I hated it because it wasn't the Hale house. After a while, I learned to love it. I love how the light streams in through the many bay windows. I never understood why we needed the space until one day Dad said this would be my house. He said I would live here with my children." I turn around to face Derek still standing by the door. "I hoped that he would still be around to see them."

"I know," Derek envelopes me in a bone crunching hug. "I know he would want to see them too."

All day long, I cry while Derek keeps me in his arms. By nightfall, he had dusted off the master bedroom, which Dad never used. He preferred one of the smaller rooms facing the street; he was always alert in case anyone came for me. Once Derek managed to make the room livable, at least for the weekend, he made me lie down and try to rest after all the crying.

"I can't do it," I sniff.

"Try to rest, Sky." Derek chides as he strokes my hair. "It's been a tough day for you. Very emotional."

"I know," I sigh. "I mean I can't get rid of this house. It hurts to be here, yes, but it will hurt more to get rid of it. Seeing Stephen's house occupied by someone else made me feel sad and… angry. Those people… They don't know he lived there. They don't care. They don't care that's where he learned to walk and talk. All his memories will be replaced by a stranger's. I don't want that to happen to this house. Scott is right; this is all we have left of Dad."

Derek nods and kisses my forehead. "We will do whatever you want, my love. If you want to keep it, we'll keep it."

I smile and hug him tightly. "Thank you for being there for me. I'm sorry for what I said this morning."

"Shh," he kisses my forehead. "Don't even think about it. We both have been through a lot, but it's all over. We're together with a beautiful family. There's no point in thinking of the past, only the future."

I smile and nod. Perching myself up on my elbow, I look down at my gorgeous and sexy husband. His eyes glow a beautiful green in the darkness of the room, but I can still see his soft lips turned upward in an otherworldly grin, his thick eyebrows, high cheekbones, sideburns, and stubble. All of him that drives me wild with passion and love. Unable to recall the last time we have been intimate, I lean forward and crush his lips to mine. He immediately catches on to my mood; not sure if he can smell my hormones or he too feels the need to be with me.

Soon he has me pinned down on the bed kissing me roughly. We break apart to remove our shirts and pants. Now we're lying with only our undergarments and once again kissing passionately. As he kisses me, his long hands stroke my neck and travel down to my breasts where he cups both of them over the fabric of my bra. I can't help the moan that escapes my lips even as we continue to kiss, our tongues dancing. He gives my breasts a gentle squeeze before slipping his hands behind me unclasping the bra. With the loose garment, Derek is able to slip his hands to touch my already taut nipples. I bury my hands into his hair as he continues to both kiss me and play with my breasts massaging and tugging on my nipples.

Soon we both begin to rock back and forth our hips and reveling in the friction of his erection against my covered sex. He pulls away from my lips then and begins to kiss me along my jaw all the way to my ear where he gently nibbles on my earlobe. As I moan and wither under him, he continues to kiss and bite my skin leaving a trail of love bites down my neck and my chest. He proceeds to blow on my right nipple as his right hand travels down my stomach and inside my panties. Briefly, he strokes my clit with his index finger making me arch my back and dig my nails into his back as he flicks his tongue around my nipple. We haven't even started and I can already feel my walls clenching around his fingers as he pumps in and out of me managing to stroke my clit with his thumb and continuing to suck, now, on my left nipple.

"De-rek," I gasp before I explode around his fingers.

As I come, Derek removes the rest of our clothing tossing them onto the floor. And even though I'm still reeling from the orgasm, Derek kneels and grabs my legs positioning them over his right shoulder and keeping his hands on each side of my torso for support. He grins wickedly before he slides slowly into me. My mouth hangs open in a silent scream of pleasure as I feel him push in and out at a tormenting slow pace until he finally picks up and pounds away. My hands grip the bed sheets as I feel myself tighten again. Suddenly he stops trusting and keeps himself inside of me, and I feel him come. Throwing his head back, he howls, and as he does, I finally let go.

Later, we're lying wrapped up in each other's arms almost dozing off after the activities of the night. We couldn't help going for a round two, and three, and four. As Derek strokes my back, I can't help but replay that howl he gave the first round.

"Derek?" I whisper afraid that I might wake him, if he's even asleep.

"Hmm?" He replies without opening his eyes.

"Do you realize that you howled?" I can't keep the amusement off my voice. Never in our intimate times has he howled.

"I know," he grins mischievously and finally looking at me. "I howl for you. You're my moon, my stars, my sun, my Sky."

I don't know if I'm still emotional or what's wrong with me, but I suddenly start to cry again. "I love you, Dee." I half-chuckle, half-sob out.

His chest shakes with the intensity of his laughter at my use of his old nickname. "I love you."

For the rest of the weekend, Derek and I work on the house. He fixes up both the front and back yard while I do cleaning. Even though we end up exhausted at night, we still manage to make love. Who knows when we'll have time like this to ourselves again? I do miss Dante and Laura. I call Melissa every two hours a day. Stiles got so tired of my nagging that he told me to stop calling. Scott still doesn't talk to me; I bet he thinks I have set the price on the house and everything. A realtor did come Saturday at noon. He was very enthusiastic and wouldn't even let me explain that I'm not selling the house anymore. He kept asking me how much Dad had bought the house for. When I told him it had been at 1.775 million, his mouth practically salivated as he recommended I set it for double the price and with the nice location, the house would sell immediately (I know he was thinking more of his commission than helping us sell).That's when Derek lost it and commanded the realtor to scram as we are not selling the house.

By Sunday afternoon, the house looked better with a trimmed lawn, the inside clean and covered with bed sheets, Dad's valuables and tokens packed up and in the back of our car. As we drive back, I feel eager to have Dante in my arms. I can't wait to see Laura's eyes or tell Scott that I didn't sell the house and we will visit it periodically to keep it clean and trimmed. Finally, we pull up into Melissa's drive way, but before Derek climbs off, I grab his hand.

"Thank you." I smiled lovingly and lean over to kiss him. Clearly puzzled, he kisses me back. He soon forgets though and gets lost in our kissing. We split apart after a while then we get off the car to reunite with our family.

As soon as Derek is through the door, Laura runs and throws her arms around Derek. He picks her up and twirls her around. On the other hand, I go for Dante who is in Scott's arms. I swear my baby boy must be the most spoiled baby in the world. He's always in someone's arms. I tuck my hands under his armpits as I pick him up and rub his nose gently with mine.

"Hey chubby monkey," I coo kissing his forehead. "Mommy missed you. Did you and Lulu behave? I'm sure you did."

"How did it go?" Melissa shouts from the kitchen.

"It went well," I grin and sit on the couch. "We didn't sell the house." I continue making sure to meet Scott's eyes, which go wide with surprise.

"Really?" He asks excitedly sitting next to me. "Why?"

"You were right," I swallow the knot that has suddenly formed in my throat. "That house is the only thing left of Dad. It holds our memories. I couldn't get rid of it."

"Thanks," Scott sighs relieved before he throws his arms around me.

Apparently, Scott squeezed me too tight because Dante begins to wail. Derek, with Laura still in his arms, growls at Scott and pulls him away. I chastise Derek, and Laura chastises me for chastising her dad. To diffuse the situation, Melissa calls us all to dinner. As we are sitting down at the table, Stiles shows up with his dad. Voices and laughter fills the small dining room. The noise could bother any other person, but to me it is like music. Every time I form a family, something happens that rips it away from me. As I look at every single person in my life from my husband to my children, my brother, my friends and adoptive mother, I vow to never let it happen again. No one will rip my family apart. I don't care what I have to do; I will protect them.

**And this concludes the prequel to Derek and Sky's story. ****Lots of things seem unresolved don't you think? Don't worry, all will be revealed in time. I'm having some problems with my muse, so it will take me a while to get **_Invincible _**going. Please be patient and thanks for reading HFY! (: **


	21. New Story

Greetings,

_Invincible_, a continuation to Derek's and Sky's story, has been posted! If interested, do check it out, and I hope you enjoy! Thanks.

Love,

littlerichellemead


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